Premonitions of a Firefight
by TheNameUGiveMe
Summary: This is a super crossover between Tenchi Muyo, Desert Punk, Excel Saga, and Trigun. I've also included my own character. All other characters belong to their rightful owners. Please support the official releases and leave reviews and comments!
1. Chandelier

Greenland. The morning sun was just a few hours old as its light painted a white landscape that could be seen for a few short miles as some points on the ice cap had resembled mountains making the horizon impossible to see. 10 miles from Greenland's east coast a certain section of the ice had been melting over the years creating reasonable size lake just smaller than half the size of Lake Michigan. Soon the water level grew high enough to flow out and into the North Atlantic Ocean. Despite its beauty this section of the island seemed inhospitable. At the point where the river comes out of the lake was a series of buildings as white as their natural surroundings. One would guess that they were research buildings visited by scientists from around the world. They would be wrong.

The name of this facility was Chandelier. It was a massive arsenal and a major stopping point for U.N. troops going overseas. The layout was a circle. 7 warehouses encircled what seemed to be a large sniper rifle longer than the Sears Tower is tall. Actually that's sort of what it was. The Chandelier cannon was constructed to be used as a means to stop any terrorists from using a nuclear weapon should they be obtained.

Because of the remote location security at Chandelier was rather light. If someone from the "outside" were to learn of this it could be quite catastrophic. As luck would have it a spy working for a British terrorist group known as INSF had studied the facility during his visits and soon the day came when INSF along side with former CIA operatives and Soviet KGB had blown down instead of knocking on the main entrance to Chandelier.

The base was top secret so the fact that it was taken over could not be revealed to the general public. Governments worldwide began negotiating with the terrorists controlling Chandelier knowing full well that they now had the power to hold the world ransom. A dream come true for any terrorist. The axiom of takeovers with evil intentions is that there will always be someone attempting to counter them. Days after the taking of Chandelier the world was preparing to give into the demands of these goons but things were about to change.

The sun had just set in Greenland. The Aurora Borealis was dancing in the night sky slightly distracting the guards. A pair of night vision goggles was locked on the guards at the entrance as they blissfully took in the beauty of the Aurora. Soon bliss was transformed into slight pain and then an early rest session. Both guards out cold. Soon a layer of clouds had completely blocked out the view of the Aurora. With the light show gone the guards went back to their rounds. A higher ranked guard was keeping himself updated with the other guards by called out their names on the two way radio. Soon the two guards at the front were called. No answer. Again he called out and got no answer. As he was about to call for back up an old potato bag that had a small section of it dowsed in chloroform had quickly been placed over his head. Lights out. He was bound and his clothes completely removed. This process had continued for the next several minutes. At the main hangar the heads of the operation were planning which cities to target should the world not meet up with there demands. It was more like the atrium to an upscale hotel. Pictures had decorated the sky blue walls of all the achievements the world had made in the quest for total peace. It would seem that the peace was about to be shattered. Something did in fact shatter. But it wasn't peace. A loud bang followed by several others had rung throughout the base. The glass in the main hangar shattered violently then a section of the hanger caved in crushing many of the inhabitants inside. When the leaders came around they gasped in horror and in anger as they witnessed the destruction of the Chandelier cannon. It had now laid in a pile of metal rendering their plans useless. They frantically called for the guards. There was no answer. Fire had lit the sky around Chandelier so bright it could be seen through the cloud layer from passing airliners above. Smoke had made visibility down to almost zero. As the agents were preparing for retreat two of them were greeted with a rifle butt to the skull. Another knock out. Panic had now risen to the wanting of their mothers. It was a rather pathetic scene. The only vehicle that could take them out of the base fast was buried underneath the wreckage of the Chandelier cannon. With guns drawn they made a circle trying to find the shooter. Only 4 men had remained. Nervously they keep on looking around but would soon stop as a concussion grenade kissed the boot of one of them exploding and sending all 4 men to the ground in a daze. 3 out of the 4 were again met with rifle butts. After coming to the head of the INSF was not quite sure what to make of what he was starring at. A figure with a half spherical viewing port for a head covered in winter gear.

"Don't you just love the irony?" said the mysterious figure. "This based was taken over due to the lack of guards. I would have figured you dumb-asses would have learned from their mistakes."

The leader drew his gun but was quickly met with a punch to the face. Landing flat on his back he held his face for a minute or two in pain.

"Who or what the hell are you?" he asked rather loudly.

The mystery shooter replied with "Although this location is not the appropriate place to bear my name I have been called a demon and many other things but I am most commonly know as…Desert Punk."

"Desert Punk? What kind of ridiculous name is…."

Before he could finish he was finally sent to sleep with the back of a shotgun. The flames had reached large fuel tanks that refueled aircraft. The explosion caused huge cracks to be formed in the ice. The heat cause the ice to melt at an alarming rate. The base was taking on water fast.

"Well time to run like a little bitch!" thought Desert Punk.

Sprinting across the wreckage of what were now collapsed buildings a wall of water almost large enough to be classified as a tsunami chased after Desert Punk yet somehow he was able to keep his distance from the wave that were claiming the remains of Chandelier. In order to not drag out the running scene Desert Punk makes it out, takes a snowmobile to the beach, and takes a small Navy Seal type rubber boat heading towards the direction of a large sea vessel waiting for him.


	2. Oktoberfest

Chapter 1.2

The flames of Chandelier could still be seen out in the ocean as Desert Punk sped the small motorized rubber boat out into more open water. He looked back to see the aftermath of his work. The haughty Desert Punk was entertaining in his mind how simple it was to take out the massive arsenal. The thoughts of his accomplishments were quickly replaced by a cold wind coming off the island. "Damn, I need to get to the ship fast" he said. Minutes had passed and the fire illuminated sky could no longer be seen. In pure darkness Desert Punk navigated his vessel in an eastward heading. Soon the sight he had been waiting for appeared as a small series of white lights on the horizon. With each passing minute the lights spread further apart as he was getting ever closer to the ship from which he departed from for his sortie. A combination of cold water and wind was striking against his winter attire making the need to get to that boat more paramount. Finally after about an hour from leaving the coast he arrived at the ship…well actually it was a fishing boat. It was a 117 foot long fishing boat named "_Romano_." It was mostly white with a green stripe extending from front of the hull to the stern. No other occupants were onboard as Desert Punk is a solitary combatant. Desert Punk had "borrowed" which really means stolen the vessel from a harbor in Iceland prior to the raid on Chandelier. How he obtained the information about the takeover of the base is an enigma for now. Pulling himself aboard he found his way into the wheelhouse and sailed eastward even further.

Morien Eeham was a history professor who taught European history in Hamburg. He graduated from a university in the United States majoring in history and German. Always interested in Germany the opportunity to work there had knocked and he answered quicker than sunlight reaches Earth.

Every year the city of Munich, German hosts Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest is perhaps the largest known party in the world. Every year people from around the globe gather in Munich to take part in festivities that usually involve beer, music, and, well, more beer. People of all ages and ethnicities could be seen all around visiting different shops with vendors convincing prospective customers that their beer was the best. Morien had walked for a few blocks from the festival square when a certain flyer caught his eye. A band he really liked was performing at one of the tents later that evening.

Back on the streets of Munich, Morien stood in line with several other people wearing entirely black clothing with hair dyed jet black waiting for tickets for the band playing later that night. His light brown skin made him stand out from most of the others in line due to his Puerto Rican background. But this was only half of his heritage as his other half was Russian. His tall 6'3" stature also contributed to his distinctness. He was easy to spot in a crowd and was quite the eye candy to the opposite sex. Many women had to take a second look when he walked by. This, of course, would go unnoticed by him.

It was his turn to purchase a ticket. "One please," he said in German. He paid in Euros and took the ticket in his hand. His eyes grew wider as he held his ticket thinking about the show he was going to be a part of. A goofy smile grew on his face as he began fantasizing about all the opening bands and finally on to the main band. He could see it now. Strobe lights and laser lights flashing bringing the stage to life with heavy guitar riffs that could be heard halfway around the world. The voices of the crowds as they cheered the names of the…..**"Hey jack-ass!! Move! We need to purchase tickets too!"** a voice yelled from the back of the line. Reality came back to him and when he saw how many people he was upsetting from his little day dream he gasped and bolted out faster than a bullet train.

With a few more hours to spare, Morien decided to visit one the hundreds of beer tents that adorned the park. The orange tent stood for autumn beer and being it was Oktoberfest he thought it would be apropos to taste test some of the many selections. At the vendor a young brunette woman with a pearly white smile in a traditional Lederhosen welcomed Morien. "Hello sir! You will find some of the finest local beer Munich has to offer right here. When you see something you like let me know." Morien gazed at the selections for a few moments until a bottle that had the image of a man skydiving with a boat anchor caught his eye. The name of it was _Schadenfreude._ "This one looks rather interesting" he said as he looked back up at her eyes. "I'll have one." She politely smiled and filled his request. "Thank you handsome. If you want more just come right back" she said in a seductive tone. "I-I-I will?" he said bewilderedly. He walked around for several minutes looking for a table until he spotted one that was vacant. Looking around he sat quietly watching the multitudes of people walking, laughing, singing, just really enjoying themselves. Almost forgetting about his beer he took his first sip and was slightly knocked back in his seat. "This is amazing!" he thought. "I'm never touching American beer again."

The sun had almost begun to sink below the horizon. The gold rays were beginning to become more feeble with each passing minute. Checking his ticket Morien looked again for the location and when it was found the line into the show had already started. "Might as well get in line or I won't get a decent spot in the pit" he thought to himself. As he got to the back more people gathered behind him excited and anticipating a great performance. Killswitch Engage had never performed at Oktoberfest so with a first time band comes a rather large gathering of fans. One of the fans standing in front of Morien turned around, locked eyes with him and said "Hi there. You don't seem like the type of person who would attend a show like this." "Why do you say that?" asked Morien. She suddenly had a shocked look in her eyes. "Oh wow. That totally came out wrong." She buried her palm into her face. "Look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." Morien chuckled and replied with "It's not a problem. It isn't the first time someone has pointed out that I stood out." Feeling a little less uncomfortable now she began to make a conversation with him. "So a fan of Killswitch Engage or the opening bands?" she asked. "I like all of them. When I heard that they were playing a gig here at Oktoberfest I asked for a few days off at work. I didn't want to miss it. I took the earliest train from Hamburg to get here. Beer and music. Can't really get much better than that!" he laughed. She chuckled with him "I'm Sabena." "Morien. Pleasure to meet you." They stood in line for the next few hours talking about other bands, beer, blah blah blah…

The hour drew past 7pm and the doors open. The line cheered as they walked in handing their tickets to security. As luck would have it Morien and Sabena made it to the front and center of the metal guard that sat just 5 feet from the stage. Quickly people flooded in behind taking their places on the floor or walking towards the merchandise tables. On stage the pyro-cannons could be seen aiming upwards. At least 500 different lights could be seen; an epileptic's worst nightmare. Killswitch Engage's drum set was already on stage covered in a black tarp that would be unveiled during the time of their show. "Have you seen them live before?" asked Sabena turning to Morien. "No I haven't but several of my friends have. Even my father has. They have all told me that Killswitch Engage puts on one hell of a show." "Indeed they do" Sabena replied. "I saw them open up for Nightwish in London. Both bands gave more than 100 percent. I don't think you will get much sleep after this night." Soon the first band played followed by 2 more. Then the moment of truth had finally arrived when a stage worker signaled the sound booth in the back that the stage was ready. The lights dimmed and then went out completely. The crowded roared as loud as a jet aircraft taking off in anticipation of the main show. Camera flashes went off everywhere. An intro speech could be heard from the speakers. One by one you could make out silhouettes of the band approaching their positions on stage. The speech was cut short by a guitar riff. This really got the crowd's energy soaring. The lead vocalist was the last to enter the stage. Within seconds they burst into a heavy guitar bursts followed by screaming vocals. The strobe lights flashed followed by the rest of the stage lights being in perfect harmony with the beats of the drums and the notes on the guitar. Halfway through the show one of the pyro cannons had fallen over and fired into the crowd. A 30 foot flame erupted making contact with quite a few people. But as metal fans they disregarded the danger as the heat did not hinder their ability to rock out one bit. The rest of the evening consisted of the audience being blown away by Killswitch Engage. The show ended just past midnight. Now being slightly hard of hearing Morien made his way out of the venue and onto the main path of the fairgrounds. Sabena caught up with him. "Morien! What did you think?" "It was definitely money well spent" he replied. "I would not mind seeing them again!" Upon finishing his statement Sabena handed him a small piece of paper. "I know I don't know you that well, Morien, but I really had a good time tonight talking to you and what not. You should call me sometime." Morien looked at the note with her phone number, smiled and said "Yeah absoulutely! Well I have to catch the train back to Hamburg. I will look forward to talking to you soon, okay!" They hugged and then parted ways. Morien made his way to the rail station. Soon ICE train #493 arrived and he was on his way home. At least that's what he intended.


	3. From rails to ruins

Chapter 3

The ICE or Inner City Express high speed rail system was a very common mode of transportation used by Europeans extending from the Austrian capital of Vienna to London, U.K. Their safety record was almost perfect with only 2 incidents. ICE #493 left Munich around 1am and within minutes was gunning down the tracks at 170 mph. Morien sat towards the back of the train in one of the aisle seats. There was nothing particularly interesting on the wide screen television hanging off the ceiling. The interior was white with beige leather seats. Because it was evening the mood lights were activated and painted the interior into a dim but light blue color. Many of the passengers had already fallen into sleep mode. Soon Morien was sound asleep as the train moved glass smoothly on the rails towards Hamburg.

(The Dream: Everything was in black and white. He was adrift in a lifeboat that took him to a solitary bridge tower that had to have been at least 900 feet tall. He looked around and saw that there was no dry land in sight. Then his vision gained color and he could see a cay not far from where he was on the sea. The paddled with his hands towards the cay but his vision turned black and white and the cay was gone. The bridge tower had remained. Looking up he could see a person emerging from the very top. It was a woman with long spiky dark pink hair and emerald green eyes. She looked down at him. She was in color while the rest of his world was in black and white. After a long stare-off she placed her hands in front of her as if she was signaling an oncoming car to stop. Smoke began to form and take the shape of something rectangular. The object became three dimensional and took the form of an R/C Cola vending machine. As if his visions weren't abnormal enough. He thought that perhaps here intentions were to give him a drink. After all he had no idea how long he had been floating by himself out at sea or how he even got there in the first place. She looked at him one last time. An evil smile grew on her face. Her pupils became smaller and more focused. Now he was starting to worry. "Have a drink" she said. The vending machine plummeted towards his life raft which was now starting to shrink. He began to panic. He didn't want to jump into the ocean but it had seemed as if this was his only option. He looked into the sea and a more angelic version of the same woman manifested herself in the waves and said, "Jump! Let me save you!" He looked up and saw the vending machine was closing the gap. He then looked back down into the sea, closed his eyes, and dove right in. When he opened his eyes he was in a furniture store in New Zealand.)

Morien woke up to see that the train had stopped in a small village to let off and take on more passengers. "What on Earth was that dream about? Totally random. Why did I end up in New Zealand?" The train began to move once more getting closer to Hamburg. Morien decided to take a stroll within the cabin so he could take a break from sitting. He walked into the 3rd car up from his seat was at and discovered a drink station. He walked up to the attendant and asked for some green tea.

Outside the train the world was whizzing by rapidly. The occasional electric discharge would create a bolt that ejected itself from the catenaries on top of the train cars. A few miles south of the train an object was quickly approaching the speeding ICE train. On its sides were blue lights that were almost identical to the current mood lighting that had colored the trains interior. Minutes had passed and Morien was about to take a sip of his tea when he noticed this object outside the right window in the air which was now matching the trains speed. Surprised he walked and pressed his face against the glass. One of the attendants in the car asked Morien to take his hands off the glass. "Wait, I think you need to look at this." The attendant walked over and looked outside. He too was now mesmerized by this pretty blue object in the air. "What is it?" asked Morien. "I am not sure. I've never seen anything like it." The other passengers who were awake now started to take note of this unknown object flying at the speed of the train. Something else had caught Morien's eye. He noticed a blinking red light and every time it flashed he could make out what seemed to be a blur of something rotating extremely fast. Blades. "A helicopter. But why is it so close to the train?" The blue objects that everyone had focused on now came detached from the helicopter and suddenly afterburners appeared behind them and aimed towards the train. People who saw this began to scream. Morien ran from the window to try and take cover but was too late. The missiles impacted the right side of the train but did not make a massive explosion as everyone anticipated. The wind created by the moving train rushed in immediately causing light objects to swirl around like a cyclone. The blue objects that everyone saw outside were now inside the train. They were large gas canisters. A hatch opened up and the high speed wind quickly spread the blue gas throughout the train. Everyone passed out. Outside, the helicopter flew further in front of the train. When it was about half a mile in front it shot a conventional rocket into the tracks below creating a void between the rails. Inside the locomotive the gas had reached the conductor and engineer. The effects began taking place quickly but not before the engineer saw the signal that indicated a break was in the tracks ahead. He pulled on the brakes and then joined the others on the floor out cold. The train had slowed down to less that half of its speed but it would not be enough. ICE #493 met with the break in the tracks and derailed. Because of the design of this train it remained almost straight as it left the tracks and into the woods. The bumps the train was enduring had broke most of the windows. Many of the wheels fell off. The passing trees punctured more holes into the trains severely wounding anyone sitting by a window. The entire train finally stopped just a few yards from the shore of a small pond. The locomotive and front two cars laid on their side while the rest of the train was still upright. The fate of the passengers inside was unknown.

Nearby a man traveling in fairly new BMW drove on the scenic highway on the look out for something he felt was important. Inside his two friends began to whine a bit. "It's 3AM! Why are we out here again?!" "Because I want to see if the rumor about Sigma Pond is true" said the driver. "Even if your father buried those documents at the bottom there is still a lot of legal work you have to do to gain a fraction of his fertile land" replied one of his friends. As they reached the water's edge the driver noticed smoke coming out of the woods. The friends looked at each other for a second and one of them asked "Who would be out here at this time?" As they got closer the outline of a wrecked passenger train came into their view. They froze in their tracks. "SOMEONE QUICK! CALL THE POLICE!" While one of them made the call out to the authorities the other two began calling into the train wreck hoping to hear the voice of any survivors. They broke the door off the side and entered. It had seemed as if all lives were lost. Upon taking a closer look one of them placed their fingers on the neck of one of the downed passenger. "A pulse! This one's alive!" They began checking pulses and discovered that many were alive yet unconscious. 15 minutes later Medivac flight helicopters began making it to the scene to begin the long process of recovering survivors and ones who perished.


	4. Which Side Are You On?

Chapter 4

Night slowly began to turn into dawn as the recovery efforts on the victims of the ICE #493 derailment continued. The paramedics, police, and fire department were stupefied wondering how all persons pulled from wreckage thus far were alive. Wave after wave of ambulances came and took passengers to nearby hospitals. Towards the center of the train wreckage Morien was lying in the bar. The jolt from the crash threw his body over the counter and down into the floor. When he was found he was covered in various bottles of alcohol. The paramedics placed him on a stretcher and he was carried to an ambulance that was parked further away from where most of the other emergency vehicles were.

Within an hour of being placed in the ambulance Morien slowly started to regain conciseness. The ambulance took a curve and the sun was now shining into the back placing its light on Morien's face. He lifted his hand and tried to block the sunlight. When he figured out where he was, he remained still. Oddly there were no paramedics in the back with him. "Is anyone there?" he called out. No voices had responded. The ambulance started to slow down. Then a complete stop for a brief moment. As the vehicle proceeded Morien looked out the window and noticed they had passed a gate almost completely covered in razor wire. He began to grow apprehensive. "Hey where are we?" he asked as he sat up. Again no answer. The ambulance pulled into what seemed to be a parking garage. The light from the sun was gone and only the lights from inside the garage could be seen. Again it came to a complete stop and turned off. The back doors opened. He was greeted by the German military. "Sir please don't be alarmed. The attack on your train concerns us a great deal and we need to ask you a few questions." Morien reluctantly left the ambulance and walked with them into the compound.

Inside the compound Morien and his escorts walked down a seemingly endless hallway. The walls were a dark grey with red hazard stripes running down the center. It was poorly lit making words written on the doors hard to read. Finally after pacing for almost an eternity one of the personnel placed his card on an electronic pad opening a door to a spacious room. It resembled the dinning room of a multi-million dollar home. The walls were a beige color with paintings from world renowned artists hanging from them. A large window had revealed a view to the outside. A few miles out a castle could be seen surrounded by thick forest in a valley which the base stood above. The room was also complete with a kitchen, sauna, and several sleeping quarters. Morien calmed down a small bit not expecting to be led into this luxurious section of the base. In his accent one of the officers said: "Have a seat anywhere you like sir. Would you like anything to drink?" Morien paused for a moment still wondering what was going on. "I'll have green tea if you have it" "Right away sir" the officer said with a bow. As he left the other personnel sat around Morien and the conversations began. "Please forgive us. You were probably expecting to be taken to a hospital. We arbitrarily chose you to be brought here." "How convenient" Morien thought to himself. "I guess I'll start with the first question: why am I here?" "Because of what you were attacked with. How do you feel right now? Physically?" Morien looked at himself. Not a single cut or bruise he could see. No pain anywhere. It was as if nothing happened. "I feel…quite energized now that you ask. Like I just drank an energy drink that was created from a nuclear power plant." "Sir does it not strike you as odd that you were involved in a major accident and you as well as a lot of other passengers emerged scratch-free?" An expression of surprise grew on Morien's face. "I wasn't aware that many of the other passengers survived. How many perished?" he asked. The military personnel looked at each other then one of them looked back at Morien and replied with: "None. The worse injuries discovered were that of the engineer and conductor but they recovered rapidly. They were 100 percent healed by the time they reached the hospital. If you don't mind sir we would like to run a couple of tests to see how your body reacted with this blue gas." "Wait a minute", Morien interrupted. "How do you know about how we were attacked?" Before he could get a response a needle was placed in his jugular. Once again Morien was out cold.

When Morien woke up again he found himself bound to a device similar to the ones used for inmates condemned to lethal injections. The room he was in was circular and all white. The only other object in the room was a hollow tube about 4 feet in diameter placed directly in front of him. 5 feet inside the tube was a hatch that led to somewhere unknown. "Dammit!" he yelled and shook at the same time. The device he was strapped into suddenly collapsed to the right and turned upside down landing flat on the floor with Morien now on the other side of the stretcher like device. "Ow…" Morien said with a muffled voice. He moved his face from the floor and looked forward. His nose began to itch slightly. "Crap. If only I wasn't bound." As he finished that statement his right arm became unbound. The surprised Morien look at his hand and thought: "They sure need a lesson in binding people to objects. Maybe my other binds can come off easy too." One by one he freed his limbs leaving only his abdomen strap still tightly wrapped around him. He took one step forward and the leather strap suddenly snapped. "This is too weird" Morien said to himself.

Looking around the room he couldn't find a way out. Then he focused on the hollow tube in the room. With ease he opened up the hatch and crawled inside. It was a pretty tight squeeze for his built stature. He could not see in the darkness but he knew it was his only shot at getting out. After crawling for several minutes he came across a section where he could no longer feel the ceiling of the tube. He felt around a bit and found a ladder. Climbing up he became nervous again not knowing where his current path was leading him. He reached the top and saw it was unlocked. He carefully lifted it and looked out. All he could see were purple and red lights flashing on the floor and loud electronic sounds could be heard. He lifted the top a bit further and saw that it was an arcade. After seeing no one else was present he climbed all the way out. Hundreds of arcade games lined the walls. "Am I still in the base?" he wondered to himself with a puzzled look on his face. He saw the entrance to the arcade and was about to walk towards it when he saw armed guards run by. One of them yelled "They say he may have escaped to Section H!" Morien froze until they ran by. Now knowing that they knew he had escaped he quickly tried to figure out a way to escape. His thoughts were halted as he heard a voice yell "Sir stop!" He turned around with his hands in the air to see it was the officer who asked him if he wanted anything to drink. With a gun drawn the officer slowly walked closer to him. "Sir I'm sorry but these experiments must take place. We need to know the effects of gas used that night. Please walk towards me slowly and keep your hands up." Rather than listen Morien jumped behind one of the arcade games. The officer opened fire. Morien's mind raced like a supersonic jet. "Why me!? All I wanted was to go enjoy a show in Munich and then get back to Hamburg but instead I'm trapped in this base with people resembling Nazis! Why do I have to leave this Earth now!?" he angrily said as he bashed his fists against the arcade game he was hiding behind. The game tilted forward almost 45 degrees detaching itself from the wires that plugged it into the wall then came back onto its foundation. At that moment it had become clear to him what the gas on the train had done. "Give yourself up sir and I promise you we won't kill you in the experimentation process." Morien, with a determined look on his face, grabbed the arcade game he used as a bullet shield and lifted it above his head. To him it was as light as a unit of toilet paper. The officer saw this and froze. "Is this enough proof to show you what that damn gas did to me?" The officer could not get himself to say anything but it didn't matter as he was crushed by the arcade game Morien just threw at him.

Unaware of the situation unfolding the military continued their frantic search for Morien. Back in the arcade Morien took the officer's Desert Eagle and continued to find a way out. He soon came to the hallway that brought him far into the base. Quietly he walked down listening for any footsteps or voices. About 50 feet behind him multiple doors opened up as waves of guards passed through with guns drawn. Rather than using his gun Morien ran. As he ran he realized that he was blasting through the hallway at an astonishing speed. This gave him the courage to keep going and find his way out. Soon he was in the parking garage and followed where the light of day met the interior. The entrance was heavily guard with men anticipating his arrival. Morien saw this and ran right past their bullets and barricades and out into the German countryside. He stopped for a second catch his breath. He could not believe the abilities he now possessed.

On the highway he made contact with a passing vehicle. The driver made visual with him and slowed down. "Are you lost?" the driver asked. "Yes, I was on a camping trip and became separated from my team. Is there anyway you can take me to the nearest bus station? I would appreciate it." Morien fabricated. "Sure hop in." said the driver with a smile on his face. Morien thought it was best if he kept his abilities in the shadows for the time being. As they drove he leaned back and closed his eyes. Then in a shock he opened them up as a provoking thought entered his mind "If I was able to gain this superhuman strength from that gas then what about the other passengers? They all survived virtually without injury. I wonder how it affected them!" Soon they arrived in a small village. Morien thanked the driver and got a bus ticket to Hamburg. The bus pulled into the station. It was a light load as only 14 passengers boarded the bus. 2 hours later Morien finally arrived back in Hamburg. Because he intended to go to Munich only for a day he didn't pack anything. He was happy to find that the German military did not take his wallet, keys, or phone. He walked several blocks towards his apartment which was next to the harbor. When he turned the corner to walk towards where he lived another surprise had appeared. A long white fishing boat with a green stripe named "Romano" was right in the street in front of his apartment complex.


	5. Fingerpaintings

Chapter 5

Hamburg is a fairly large German city specializing in international shipping. Although not on the coast a large inlet carved its way through the German mainland allowing for large sea vessels to make their way through with ease. Hamburg sits at the point where a small river pours out into the inlet. A certain vessel had some trouble making its way through the harbor as it rested right in front of the apartment complex in which Morien called his home. The fishing boat "Romano" was lying on its side in the middle of a T-intersection with police tape blocking off the area. The intersection was a hundred feet from the water so how it got onto dry land was a mystery to the crew who were now responsible for removing it. Morien looked onward for a moment and thought that perhaps he should lend a hand. After all his new abilities enabled him to lift an arcade game above his head. He walked towards the fishing boat then stopped for a moment and pondered what would happen if the crew saw he had abnormal human strength. He discarded the thought and walked to the boat. One of the crew members spotted him and said in a German accent: "Sir you cannot be here." "Don't worry" Morien said. "I can fix this problem." The crew just looked at each other wondering what he was about to do. Morien placed both his hands on the hull and attempted to push the vessel towards the water. It didn't move a micron. "What? This can't be happening!" Morien thought. Morien tried pushing the boat once more but for nothing in the world was that fishing vessel going to move. The crew just looked at him and laughed quite hard. "Ok sir. We can see that you are built but not even the world's strongest man could push a vessel this size on concrete into the sea. Just go home." A frustrated Morien walked back towards his apartment. "What is going on? Why did that power wear off? I made a huge ass out of myself!" Morien thought. He walked inside the complex where he lived and up to the third floor. As he was about to open his apartment door he heard yelling coming from the door opposite to his. Before he left for Munich he remembered that space was vacant. He thought for a moment and decided to greet the newcomer even if he sounded like he didn't want company. He knocked and the voice inside ceased. Then a sound like bricks hitting the hard floor came walking towards the door. It opened slowly…half of a face came looking out at Morien. "What the hell do you want?!" the individual snapped. "Uh, hi. I'm Morien. I saw that you just moved in and I thought it would be appropriate to welcome you." Soon the man opened his door all the way revealing himself in his entirety. "Well thanks, but I'm kind of busy right now incase you hadn't heard." It's only natural for humans to be curious so Morien asked, "What is going on if you don't mind me asking?" The mystery person responded with "Some of my equipment received water damage from the job I was doing. I'm having a hard time fixing it." "What kind of equipment?" Morien inquired. "That's none of your business." Morien put his face down for a moment wondering why rudeness from the new person. He looked back up and asked, "By the way did you see that fishing boat out front?" The man's straight face turned into a sinister smile. "I sure did." Morien knew that this man knew something about the boat. "What's with the smile? Do you know how it got there?" "I don't know why am I about to tell you this but you seem rather trustworthy. Yes I do know how it got there. It was me." Morien's eyes grew wide. "What!? How!?" The man chuckled. "Why don't you come inside?" Morien hesitated. "I'm not sure about that anymore." "Fine asshole. I had a great story to tell anyways." "No no! Of course I'll come in!" Morien replied with. Inside the man's apartment the shades were shut halfway. The walls were blank. In the kitchen the table was lined with ammunition and weapons. "What the hell kind of operation are you running here? If I didn't know any better I'd say you're a terrorist!" "It's quite the contrary" replied the man who was still an enigma. "I'm a mercenary. Right now my job is to thwart any operation run by the INSF terrorist group. They're the same ones who attacked your train." Morien lunged at the man yelling "How do you know about that?!" Morien was greeted with a hard kick to the chest. "Wrong move buddy. And I have my sources." After picking himself up Morien asked "Who are you?" The man crossed his arms. "My name is Kanta Mizuno. I am not from this time period. I came from a world covered completely by dry desert. In that era I was known as the Desert Punk. Being how this environment is much more hospitable that name doesn't fit me anymore. I was just warped here and I don't know how." At this point after everything that had happened to Morien he was willing to believe just about anything. "How then did you end up here in Hamburg?" Morien asked. "I wanted a place by the sea so I could carry out my sorties should they be in far away locations. In the beginning I had no place to live then I found this apartment. Being a mercenary I could have chosen a wealthier neighborhood but I wanted to keep a low profile. By the way when you were attacked what happened afterwards?" Morien began to recollect. "The German military took me to a base. To make a long story a short they tried to rip me apart but I escaped." Kanta thought for a moment. "They must have been working alongside the INSF. This is not my style at all but I was wondering if I were to train you would you be willing to assist me in infiltrating that same base. You already have the advantage because you've been inside. You'll even get paid a hefty price." Morien proceeded, "I don't know. I'm a school teacher and I have to be back tomorrow. And what would I need to be trained on?" "Guns, traps, and illusions." Kanta replied. "Not to mention fighting since I took your ass down with ease. HA!!" "Hey, listen jack-ass! I'm ex-military. I had the best training ever and I would have been successful but I was discharged for medical reasons." "What a lame-ass excuse" Kanta said with a laugh. Morien just closed his eyes and grunted. "When do you plan on training me?" "Oh I thought you had to teach school. You have the honorable position of teaching kids how to use finger paints and teach them the alphabet!!" again Kanta said with a laugh. "THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT BUT I'M A HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE HISTORY PROFESSOR THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN GO TO SCHOOL!!!" yelled Morien. "You're damn right I didn't. As you can see I didn't need to. Anyways after school knock on my door. I should be around" Kanta explained. "Very well. And nice to meet you" Morien said with grunt. "Likewise….Finger Paintings! HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Kanta replied. "You just wait Kanta!" Morien left and entered finally entered his apartment. "Great, what on Earth am I getting myself into? Just go with it….just go with it" Morien thought to himself. He washed up and went to sleep.

The next morning Morien prepared himself to head to the university. He cracked two eggs to make an omelet then looked out the window towards the harbor. "It's been a day and a half and so much has already happened. And I feel like this is only the beginning. I really hope I made the right decision in agreeing to help out this Kanta person." Morien thought. He finished breakfast and quickly went to his closet to pull out a tie. He wrapped it and left his room. He walked out his front door and locked it. Before leaving he looked at Kanta's door for a moment. He sighed then left to catch a tram to the university.

At the university he was greeted by other fellow professors. "Morien. How was your day long vacation?" "It was a _blast_." Morien replied. "Oh hey did you hear about the ICE #493's derailment?" another professor asked. Morien had a blank look on his face. "Yes…yes I did hear about it" Morien slowly responded. "What was that for?" asked the professor. "Oh nevermind. My whole trip was interesting to say the least and I will leave it at that." "Umm…okay then. Anyways welcome back." Morien grabbed a cup of coffee then proceeded to the classroom a few minutes early before any of his students would arrive. He opened the door and saw a student sitting in the desk in the front row. With the lights off Morien could not make out who it was. "Oh hello" Morien said as he turned the lights on. "You're a bit early don't you thi….." Morien gasped nervously. It was Kanta. "What…what the hell are you doing here?" Kanta, with his head down, feet on the desk, and arms crossed replied in his cocky tone of voice, "First of all you look like a freaking tool. Second of all I forgot to tell you when you show up bring any aerosol cans you have lying around your apartment." Morien became upset. "You couldn't wait until I got back?" "Nope. I wanted to scare the shit out of you and I think I did a fine job" Kanta laughed as he got up to leave. "See you then…Finger Paintings!" He ran like hell out of the school. "Why me?" Morien thought as he facepalmed.

Soon the classes that Morien taught drew to a close and he took a tram back to his apartment. When he got back he saw that Kanta's door was wide open with music blasting out of it. Morien walked inside and saw Kanta who seemed to be rocking out as if he was at a concert. "Yo Finger Paintings! I just started getting into this stuff you call music." A weird look came across Morien's face. "You're kidding me right Kanta? You mean to tell me you've never heard of music?" "Hell no! Where I'm from everyone focuses on surviving. There isn't much time for recreation. Anyways go get those aerosol cans I told you to bring." Morien went into his apartment and gathered the empty aerosol cans he was planning on recycling to bring them to Kanta's apartment. With the music still playing Morien walked through Kanta's open door. "Hey I thought you wanted to keep a low profile." "Don't worry everything is hidden well. I've been doing this for years you know." As the music played Morien realized he knew the band playing. "I like the choice of music you selected. Disturbed is an amazing band. I've got other CD's of this genre if you want to borrow them sometime." "Later Finger Paintings." Kanta turned off the music. "Quite a collection of aerosol cans you have there. I asked you to bring them because they will be used as traps on our sortie and maybe sorties." Morien listened carefully to everything Kanta had to say. His training had begun.


	6. Training Day

Chapter 6

Libya. A small desert village was beginning to wind down for the evening. Outside each of the rock houses lined up along the sandy roadway torches were being lit so each house was identifiable under the night sky. There were no lights. A radio/TV antenna and 3 vans were the only modern technology that could be found in this village of about 30 inhabitants. The night was clear. A woman and her daughter were at the well a few feet south of the edge of the village getting a couple of more gallons of water for cooking and cleaning. Out of her peripheral vision the daughter caught something and turned. A small bright yellow star, brighter than the other stars in the sky and slightly larger, was the only focus of her attention.

**Daughter:** "Mommy, I've never seen a star like that before"

**Mother:** "There are millions of stars up there dear (she said looking down the well). Each one always looks new.

She began pulling the bucket up from the well. A few moments later the inside of the well began to illuminate. She could make out the rock lining from inside the well. She looked at her daughter who was still fixed on the star. Finally she looked up at the star. It was becoming brighter with each passing second. Soon the entire village was illuminated by the light of the star. Everyone who was still outside their homes looked up at the star only to finally realize that it was an object that had entered Earth's atmosphere. The woman released the bucket letting it fall back into the well and picked up her daughter running back to the village not knowing where this burning object was going to embed itself. She reached the other villagers as they watched the massive fireball hover a few more seconds before finally streaking across the village as burning debris separated itself from the flaming sphere creating a trail in the sky. It landed just a few miles east of the village. The impact was still large enough to be felt within the village causing many people to come out from their homes. A few men packed into one of the vans and drove towards the direction of the massive impact. Upon arrival a few small fires were burning but it was nothing to be concerned about. They drove to the edge of the crater and looked in to find what seemed to be a large black seemingly perfect sphere. Not knowing what it is one of the men came out of the van and had a closer inspection. Before he could reach the sphere ducts opened up letting out what looked like steam making a loud whistling noise. The men jumped and retreated out of the crater. The spherical object opened revealing the inside. The men stood far enough away from the crater to where they could not see inside. A figure suddenly came out from the crater which made these men panic. Their panic subsided when they saw it looked rather human. They looked at each other then slowly walked towards it. One of the men gained enough courage to walk close enough to this "thing" with a lantern finally revealing who or what it was. It was tall skinny man wearing a red trench coat with blonde hair that was spiked and orange glasses.

**Man**: "Finally! I really thought that trip was never going to end. Even worse I thought was lost! Oh by the way do you guys have any donuts?"

**Man with lantern**: "Who might you be? We thought you would be alien but you look human to us."

**Man:** "(Well, I don't think I'm wanted here on Earth so for once I can actually tell the truth without any consequences). My name is Vash. I really don't want a scene to be made here seeing how a spaceman just crashed on your planet. Is there any place inconspicuous you could keep me for a while?"

**Man with lantern**: "Our village is just a few miles away. I'm sure we can find a place for you to stay. The shifting sands should bury your ship in a few days. Will that be a problem?"

**Vash**: "Not at all. Thanks for your help guys!"

Hamburg. The ever growing industry of international shipping had led to expansion within the harbor. New construction had begun to aggrandize spaces for large ships to move. During the evening construction had ceased and the workers left the site making it the perfect training location for Kanta and Morien. Fists and kicks were exchanged as they fought each other honing their fighting experience for the tasks ahead. Kanta and Morien were able to counter each attack they played on each other.

**Kanta**: "I underestimated you. It's hard to come across someone who is almost equal to me.

**Morien**: "Almost? You haven't landed one effective punch or kick. I can hold my own in case you couldn't tell."

**Kanta:** "Don't get too cocky. Here take this pellet gun. As you can see this construction site has many levels so find a spot and wait. And take a few smoke bombs with you.

**Morien**: "We played hide and go seek when we were kids you know."

**Kanta**: "Hey prick! I'm the one training you! Get your black ass moving!

**Morien:** "Where did you learn that term?! And I'm Puerto Rican!"

Morien climbed the bars of a crane to get to a higher part of the construction site. Once there he walked silently towards a gap that looked down all the way to the first level. (He's going to have to walk through there first to get to here). He kept his gun aimed downwards looking for the slightest hint of movement. Out of nowhere Kanta jumping in front of him. Morien fired his weapon. Kanta popped like a balloon. Except it really was a balloon. (He knew I was going to be here). Sharpening his senses he walked faster to another section to be met by another Kanta balloon. He shot and popped it. (This doesn't look good). A cloud of smoke began to block his vision. Now on high alert Morien stood still and waited for Kanta to reveal himself. Soon he became surrounded by dozens of Kanta balloons. They all started to talk but Morien tried to figure out which one was real. He began to shoot popping about half of them before he ran out of pellets. Morien ran to a location where there was no smoke. He stopped to catch his breath but as he turned around he was kissed by the back of Kanta's shotgun.

Morien woke up on his room floor. Moments later Kanta came into his view.

**Morien:** "That's the third time this month I was knocked out. Damn my head hurts!"

**Kanta**: "Never get irresponsible like that and run out of ammo. That's how people die.

**Morien**: "You had like a billion versions of you out there! What did you expect?"

**Kanta:** "I expected you to be a bit more professional seeing how you claim to have military training."

**Morien:** "Let me give you a lesson now…"

Morien landed a cheap shot right into Kanta's groin. He went down for the count.

**Kanta**: "OOOWWWW!! WHY YOU FFFUU…."

**Morien**: "That's to show you that your guard is not always up either. I think now were even" he said with a chuckle.

**Kanta**: "YOU LITTLE BITCH! I'M GONNA GET YOU BACK FOR THIS! OOWWWW….!!!!

To help speed things up Morien and Kanta trained day in and day out. Morien learned how to use guns, traps, and explosives. A few months passed and school in Germany was out for the summer. Morien walked into his apartment complex and knocked on Kanta's door.

**Morien**: "I've been waiting a long time for this day."

**Kanta**: "Are you sure you're willing to go through with this? The Germans are no pushovers."

**Morien**: "To this day I still wonder why I got myself into this mess with you but then I keep telling myself it's for a good cause."

**Kanta**: "Alright then. I have here the layout of the base. Seeing how you've already been there getting in shouldn't be hard. My sources have led me to believe that INSF is working with the German military on some human engineering project. They tell me a special mineral is being mined somewhere that can enhance the human body in almost every aspect. We need to find out where it is and neutralize the facility."

Morien kept quiet about the gas that was used on him. Morien and Kanta packed up some gear and then walked towards a parking garage. Kanta opened the door to an old 1970's Volkswagon van.

**Morien**: "That's our ride!?"

**Kanta**: "Well we can't travel like Kings and Queens now can we? Get your shit in the car and let's go."

**Morien**: "It's not that I don't like it. It doesn't seem to fit you at all."

Kanta just rolled his eyes.

A few hours passed as night began to grip the sky erasing any last remains of the sun's rays. The Volkswagon stopped in the middle of a forest just outside where Morien said was the front entrance.

Looks like it's payback time for the German Military. But are they really traitors of Germany or is something much more sinister unfolding? Stay tuned!


	7. Premonitions Of A Firefight

Chapter 7

A chill had begun to cast its cold spell over the woods. The dark sky became overcast and a slight drizzle had started to saturate the ground. The base which was simply known as _Base 327_ had started to dim its lights in order to stay out of sight from the ground and air. Guards began taking their posts for the evening shift. 6 guards were positioned at the front gate. A single lane road led from the front entrance deep into the forest. Slightly under a mile away out of site from anyone at the base Kanta and Morien made their approach on foot towards the gate sneaking up on the side of the road. Morien began to think about when he was brought there a few months ago never thinking he would return. Wearing a black fedora, aviator goggles, a black Israeli counter-terrorist vest, and German camo-cargo pants he had never felt such a rush of adrenaline before as he did in this moment. Kanta in his iconic desert outfit but lacking the air-cooled helmet had his eyes focused on what was ahead scanning for movement in case someone decided to walk out from the base for whatever reason. Morien's weapons of choice were a SCAR 7.62mm round fully automatic rifle as his primary with an AA-12 shotgun and two Desert Eagles as his side arms. Kanta carried the shotgun his father gave him and a Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle on his back. Of course he was also equipped with many traps and tricks to help him evade or pursue his enemy. Morien carried on his belt a few canisters of smoke bombs and knock-out gas that were made from his aerosol can collection.

**Kanta:** "Aren't you cold in that sleeveless dress of yours?"

**Morien**: "You know I could kill you right now but that would exacerbate the outcome of what we have to do here."

**Kanta**: "You're too serious man. Lighten up. Focus on what's about to happen. It's going be one hell of a night." he said with eagerness. "By the way one other thing I forgot to say. Try not to kill anyone if you don't have to. If you leave a large trail of dead men the government will start to get involved and you'll be wanted and there's no escaping it. Keep deaths to a minimum and use as many knock-out techniques as possible. Stealth is key here."

**Morien**: "I'm surprised that your ruthlessness has a soft side."

At the front entrance the guards moved in sequence covering different locations keeping an eye out for anything coming to the base. The drizzle slowly shifted to rain. The sound of the raining hitting the ground, the trees, the walls, covered most sounds. Morien and Kanta used this to their advantage as they picked up the pace until they could see the base. Kanta studied the movement of the guards in his sniper scope. After a few minutes he laid out a plan with Morien. Morien agreed. They moved closer now using the cover of the woods to shield themselves from the vision of multiple eyes at the front gate. Once they were in range Kanta pulled from one of his many pouches a gray cylinder with two speakers one at each end. Morien tried to hold in his laughter as he was curious as to how this plan was going to turn out. Kanta just rolled his eyes as usual and pressed a button on the cylinder. He then threw it towards the opposite side of the road but closer to the base and where the guards could here it land. Upon landing the tune of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" began to play. Two of the guards heard the music and with guns drawn they walked towards the sound. The other 4 stayed back at the gate which is just want Kanta wanted. As the guards got further from the base Kanta moved forward and threw a knock-out grenade at the feet of the other 4 guards. They looked down but before they could react they were already sleeping. Out cold. The other two studied the singing can and as one of them picked it up he turned around to show it to the other guards but he discovered that they were all down. Before they could radio an alert Morien jumped from the behind them like a lion on its prey and smashed their heads together knocking them out. He then tied them together and relieved them of their weapons and radio. Up ahead Kanta was finishing gathering up the guards he put down when Morien caught up with him.

Morien: "What do we do when they wake up?"

Kanta: "If they wake up they have no way to call for help."

Morien: "Well I don't know if…."

A searchlight suddenly turned on and started to revolve at the front gate. When the guard operating it saw that the guards were not at their positions in the front he searched a few seconds more before realizing a problem was unfolding. The base alarm went off.

**Kanta**: "SHIT! Alarm or no alarm we're going in!"

**Morien:** "You do realize that its going to be hard to keep deaths to a minimum!"

**Kanta:** (Thinking about the money that was at stake). Screw everything I told you! Shoot to kill! When we get into that courtyard split up. You know where to find everything!"

With that Kanta and Morien ran into _Base 327_. With the alarm only a few seconds old there were only a few guards in the courtyard inside the front entrance. Morien tossed a few smoke grenades in front of him taking him out of site as he ran into the same garage the ambulance brought him into months earlier. Before he could reach the door to the endless hallway a swarm of guards appeared from it. Morien hid behind a pillar letting them run by. He ran into the hallway trying to remember which room the information he needed was. Two guards appeared and opened fire. Morien jumped down on his abdomen and retaliated, duel wielding his Desert Eagles. The guards fell over lifeless. The thought of taking his first human life came over him. He thought to himself he had no time to have emotions as more innocent people could perish should the outcome of the mission be failure. He ran all the way to the other end of the hallway which he thought was endless. A door led him to a computer room with a map of the world on it. The light from the large computer was the only luminescent source in the brick room. On the tables he saw blueprints of mining machines and on the map he saw a huge pinpoint on a certain African country: Libya. (This must be where they mined the minerals for the gas they used on me) he thought.

Kanta walked casually on the outside of the bunker scavenging through the trail of guards he incapacitated but had not killed. (If anyone dies it will be on his hands not mine) thought Kanta. A loud whir could suddenly be heard in the background. As it got closer Kanta got his shotgun in hand. An Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter set its sites on Kanta and opened fire with its machine gun. Kanta sprinted screaming like a little girl who accidentally let her balloon go into the air. He ducked behind a statute as the Hind flew over. He loaded explosive shells into his shotgun. As the helicopter flew back for another round Kanta took aim and fired. The rounds struck the gun of the chopper disabling it but it still flew. Instead it fired its rockets out at Kanta sending him into the air and back down landing in a dumpster filled with rocks.

With SCAR in hand Morien prepared to leave but the computer room was breached by two very large guards wielding chainguns. Morien ran back towards the computer as the bullets of the chainguns began to rip everything in the room into confetti. Not even concrete stood a chance against the caliber of the weapons being used. Morien by the back wall noticed that the computer was supported by one overhead beam. He ran back a bit more with everything around him turning into dust. The two guards walked right under the main computer. Morien fired his 7.62 caliber weapon into the support causing it to fail and the computer free-fell forward landing on the guards electrocuting both of them. After the smoke cleared he found the alarm override and turned it off so it couldn't be activated from anywhere on the base. He then left the main computer room with the information he needed. Now he needed to find Kanta. As he left back into the hallway he saw a thick smoke blocking his vision. He was suddenly greeted with a gunshot to the shoulder. He fell backwards and tried to crawl back in the main computer room. He held his shoulder expecting to find blood. To his surprise there was no wound. The pain had also ebbed away. (Are my abilities returning?) Down the hall he saw soldiers wearing gas masks aiming their weapons right at him. They opened fire all at once. Time began to slow down. Morien stood up as the storm of brass made its way towards him…slowly. Not wasting any time he walked by the bullets through the group of guards. He stopped in the center of their group and dropped a bomb. Then he ran out of the hallway at lightning speed.

Kanta laid beaten and bruised inside what seemed to be his metal coffin. The Hind flew around this time stopping in mid-air. The pilot seemed to take his time as he lit up a cigarette. Kanta looked up at the cockpit making eye contact with the pilot inside. (Well if this is how it ends then finish the job shithead). A few more minutes passed and finally the pilot switched his from hellfire rockets to bunker busters. Took aim and fired. Kanta tried to crawl but was in a bit of pain. The missile came within a few feet and suddenly stopped. Kanta's eyes widened like he had just been given a prostate exam with the entire fist. He was looking at the back of Morien who now stood in front of him with the bunker buster in his arms with afterburner blazing at full. Morien looked back up at the chopper; the pilot dumbfounded by what he was seeing. Morien just threw the explosive out into the distance and jumped with all his strength to the helicopter's propellers breaking them with the impact. The Hind spiraled out of control and crashed into a fuel truck which was connected to a fuel tank that sat next to the generator that powered the base….I think you get the idea. The crashed burst open the tanker truck but the fuel did not ignite. The entire courtyard was starting to flood with fuel. Morien helped Kanta out of the dumpster who was still in bad shape but his ego enabled him to stand on his own. Both ran back towards the front entrance. Kanta lit a match and set fire to the fuel. The entire base was now set ablaze. The surviving soldiers escaped in various vehicles. Kanta and Morien escaped into the night well out of the view of anyone fleeing the base. They arrived back at the van and Kanta fell down in pain.

**Kanta:** "Shit, I think I broke a few ribs and my leg is banged up" he said lying on his back. "By the way what the hell happened back there? You suddenly acquired super human strength like some mutant!"

**Morien:** "….I'll explain later. We need to leave now" he said calmly.

They headed south towards Frankfurt.

**Kanta**: "Did you find the information?"

**Morien**: "It's a mine in Libya"

**Kanta**: "We're going there now."

**Morien**: "Wait what??! Now!? You can't even fight!"

**Kanta**: "My health is not your concern. Drive this thing as far south as it will go. We will cross the sea or fly over it. Either way we are going to Libya right now."

Days passed. The duo made their way to the southern most point in Italy. Destination. Libya. Kanta healed up just enough to be reliable in battle. Morien was looking for a ferry to Tripoli, the Libyan capital. Ferry operations to Tripoli ceased in the 1960's when they were declared a terrorist nation by the Italians.

**Morien**: "Unless you have a plan, Kanta, we're not going anywhere"

**Kanta:** with an evil grin "You forget. I always have plan B."

**Morien**: "Funny. If I recalled you didn't have a plan B after nearly getting killed by that helicopter"

**Kanta:** "…..cram it! As far as I'm concerned it never happened. Now pick out a boat from the harbor."

**Morien**: "Oh well I like that….wait what are you doing?" he asked with a concerned tone.

**Kanta:** "I like that one too" he looked at Morien and smiled with his sinister look. "Give me the wheel."

**Morien**: "I really don't think I want to now…"

Kanta slammed on the gas from the passenger seat. The van took off gaining speed rapidly as it entered the pier.

**Morien:** "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?!?! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL US BOTH! STOP THIS NOW!!!"

Morien tried to fight off Kanta but in vain. Kanta just laughed maniacally. When he found the boat Morien pointed at he aimed the van at it. The van jumped the railing and landed on the deck of a multimillion dollar yacht. Morien looked around expecting to see a large crowd gathered around the dock to see what happened. Not a single soul.

**Morien**: "I hate you so much right now! Besides we may be on the boat but how do you plan on getting this thing to move?"

**Kanta**: "With this." Kanta pulled out a machine that looked like a roadside flare. "While I get this thing moving find yourself a nice room somewhere."

**Morien**: "What is that?"

**Kanta**: "It enables me to turn on any machine I plug this into"

**Morien**: "Yachts don't just disappear. It's only a matter of time before the coast guard is called out on us. Hey wait! We're criminals now! This isn't what I agreed to be!!"

**Kanta**: "We're not criminals. We're mercenaries. Besides this is all for a good cause. The world gets saved and we get paid. Simple as that."

The large boat made its way out to sea leaving the Italian coast behind. The trip across the Mediterranean Sea would only take a few hours. Full speed ahead Kanta steered the vessel in the direction of the Libyan coast. Morien laid down on a couch in a lounge thinking about everything the battle he just fought and the one he was about to. (Wait! My strength came back again…I wonder…). He tried to lift the heaviest object in the room but failed. Kanta entered the lounge.

**Kanta**: "Do you have the map? We need to land somewhere where there are no cities nearby."

**Morien**: "Yeah, let me roll it out. By the way Libya does have a Navy. Have you thought about how we're going to get past them?"

**Kanta**: "That's why we're going at 50 knots. We're not going to have time to slow down. I'm going to beach this thing and then we're hauling ass out of there."

**Morien**: "Oh great. First the damn van and now you're planning on deliberately crashing this vessel on land. You don't think very far ahead do you?

**Kanta:** "Well I'm still alive so I'm doing just fine with my thinking. Explain to me this power of yours."

**Morien**: "During the evening of that train crash we were shot at with some biological weapon. The gas filled the entire train putting everyone to sleep. I was taken to the base we just leveled for testing but I used my strength to escape. Then I got back to Hamburg and it was gone. It came back again when I was almost killed fighting in the main computer room. I believe my strength only works when I am in a life or death situation."

**Kanta**: "So this gas that was used…the materials for it are mined in Libya?"

**Morien**: "That's what I read. I marked it with an 'X' on this map. And INSF is involved."

**Kanta:** "Well we know the mission now. It's just a matter of getting there."

In the control room a loud beep starting to go off. Kanta went up to interpret it.

**Kanta**: "Morien! We have a problem! A HUGE problem!!!"

Morien quickly ran to the wheelhouse. Out in the distance was the Libyan coast. However an armada of Libyan Naval ships surrounded them. The beeping was the navy trying to contact them.

**Morien:** "Aren't you going to pick it up?"

**Kanta:** "Do I look stupid?" (Morien thought for a second) "Stop that! Of course I'm not going to pick it up. Besides they won't fire at us because they have surrounded us. The fear of hitting another one of their ships will prevent them from…."

A massive wall of water slammed into the side of the boat knocking the duo to the walls.

**Morien**: "You were saying!?"

**Kanta:** "Enough already! THIS IS A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION!! GET OUTSIDE AND USE THAT GIFT OF YOURS!!"

**Morien**: "But…"

**Kanta**: "NOOOOOWWW!!!!"

Morien stood on the deck following the sounds of the gun blasts from the ships firing upon them. He felt the yacht increase speed rapidly so he had to work to keep his balance for a second. Machine gun fire came from directly behind him. (Here we go). Morien stood still as the bullets made contact with his body. They ricocheted off him. (It worked! It does only manifest itself when I'm about to be killed!). Bullets and small projectiles were blocked as Kanta guided the boat further from the fleet of ships. Soon they were out of range and the yacht slammed into the rocky beach. Kanta was ejected from the wheelhouse landing directly in front of the hull on the rocks below. Morien landed on the hull. He quickly gathered all the weapons and supplies and went to check on Kanta who was already standing up. They put on their gear and ran before the navy swarmed in.


	8. A Stark Landscape

Chapter 8

The Libyan landscape was rather hostile compared to the Mediterranean climate where the duo of Kanta and Morien came from. The landscape consisted mostly of light brown rocks with small desert shrubs. The sun was beginning to set painting the desert a pink-red color. The temperature still soared above 90 degrees F which made traveling uncomfortable if you were not well equipped for desert survival. Now being far south of the Gulf of Sidra Kanta and Morien continued their trek towards where they hoped was the only location that mined the minerals that could give human beings unnatural qualities like superhuman strength in Morien's case. Morien looked around trying to find any signs of life in this seemingly God-forsaken land.

**Morien:** "Uhh, Kanta? Do you notice anything?"

**Kanta**: "No"

**Morien**: "Exactly. Doesn't that concern you in the slightest bit? I don't know anything about deserts and…(as he was about to finish his sentence Morien remembered what Kanta said about coming from the desert but Kanta beat him to the next statement)

**Kanta**: "Finger Paintings! Do you not remember where I'm from? Sure it's not in this world but it's frighteningly similar. If only I had known that Libya was a desert environment I would have brought…"

**Morien**: "This?" (Morien pulled out Desert Punk's signature air conditioned bullet resistant head gear from his canvas gear bag)

**Kanta:** "PUTPAP UPTUA!! WHAT THE HELL!?! WHERE DID YOU GET THAT? I THOUGHT I LOST THAT IN ICELAND!!"

**Morien**: "I found it in a dumpster outside my apartment complex. It was soaking wet but it looked somewhat high tech. I thought I would make it into something else so I took it. Then I realized the colors matched your desert attire so I knew it had to be yours. I brought it just in case you needed it and judging by your ecstatic facial expression I'd say you want this."

**Kanta**: "Just when I thought you were almost useless you pull off something like this. I rarely say this so you better cherish this: thanks a lot!"

**Morien:** "…you're welcome…I think?"

**Kanta:** "Desert Punk is back!! (He put the head gear on) Oh man I'm that much more thrilled now to carry out this sortie!"

As night fell the duo pressed onwards into a rocky inlet that stretched for several miles before the surface phased from hard rock completely into sand.

**Morien**: "I think this would be a good place to make camp. The rocks will make good cover should the cold wind blow violently in this unforgiving place."

**Kanta**: "Speak for yourself. What you see as unforgiving I see as a playground. Nevertheless an overnight stop does seem ideal."

**Morien**: "There are some dead shrubs over where the sand covers the rocks. I'll start a fire."

Morien looked up at the Milky Way. With the phase of the moon being at new it was very bright as it painted the night sky a soft white tone. (Wait. I almost forgot about Sabena! I was so caught up with everything from the ICE derailment to Kanta's training that I never called her. It's probably far too late now. It's been half a year since Oktoberfest. Another missed opportunity.) Morien sighed heavily as he tried to stay warm by the decent size fire.

**Kanta**: "What's with you? You look like you lost a gamble."

**Morien:** "Just this woman I was thinking about. I met her before I was in the ICE train wreck. Then with everything I've been caught up in I never got time to contact her."

**Kanta:** "Hmm…women" he said with a chuckle.

**Morien**: "Yeah, what about them? You have one?"

**Kanta:** *_pauses for a moment then speaks* _ "I wouldn't say it was a relationship but I had one interested in me as I was interested in her. Her name was Junko. Like myself she was a mercenary who started off to be a huge pain in my ass. Every time I was given a job she would somehow be one step ahead of me trying to claim the payment for herself. She often made allies with my competitors. Then all those competitors made partnerships in order try to bring down the big government that was controlling the desert in which we all lived. They planned on doing so with these humanoids with amazing brawn. But of course the leader of this group planned on not just taking back the government but the rest of the desert as well. They dragged me into it as well as Junko but secretly we made a plot to thwart their plan. It worked and after that she started to work with me a lot but she cooperated. We split payments together and neither one of us complained. We did everything together. Then on a fateful day I found myself here in this time period on Earth. I've never missed anyone before but I now I actually do somewhat miss Junko. And those massive breasts! Goodness she had enormous knockers!" (Morien laughed). "You wouldn't be laughing if you saw that chest of hers! Oh man. Why did I have to be sent here?"

**Morien**: "Fate. You've already proven your worth. You have a set of skills that we need right now to save millions if not billions of people. The way in which you got here may be a mystery but I can only imagine what would have happened if you didn't show up."

**Kanta**: "Yeah stop buttering up."

**Morien**: "I'm serious! I can't do this alone! Hell I wouldn't even be doing this if you hadn't shown up. Who knows how far the INSF would have gotten."

**Kanta:** "I'm almost certain the INSF isn't the only group we have to worry about. One step at a time."

**Morien**: "Roger that. Anyways that small cave looks inviting. I'm going to go pass out. Take care of yourself."

**Kanta:** "Just worry about yourself. See ya."

* * *

Dawn was minutes away from casting its red morning light on the desert sand when the sound of diesel engines could be heard nearby the campsite. The sound had awoken Morien but Desert Punk/Kanta was already awake and on the lookout. Through his sniper scope Kanta made out a convoy of 4 desert-colored covered trucks heading in the same direction they were.

**Morien**: "What do you see?"

**Kanta**: "It's a convoy of supply trucks. There has to be a city or small village nearby. Pack up and let's keep moving. We'll follow their trail."

When the trucks could barely be seen on the horizon Kanta and Morien moved out and followed their tracks as they slowly started to disappear with the shifting sand. The trucks left their viewing plane but a few miles down the sandy road smoke could be seen.

**Kanta**: "Looks like there is a village up ahead. We should stop to refill whatever rations we used up. Mainly water."

Outside the village there was no security or a gate. Anyone could walk or drive in. As they walked in Kanta saw the trucks from back at the campsite. Sure enough the drivers were unloading supplies to the villagers. Food, clothing, but mainly bottled water. Kanta pointed out a tent with neatly displayed bottles of water. The duo walked into it. Kanta walked up to the man distributing the water and began to negotiate.

**Kanta:** "We don't have much money on us. Do you take anything else as payment?"

**Man**: "Electronics. Walkie-talkies, batteries, radios, televisions, even weapons."

**Kanta**: "I have several two way radios. They are sand resistant as well as water resistant. I can include several new batteries."

The man inspected both carefully.

**Man**: "Ok you have a deal. I can give you 10 bottles of water."

**Morien**: (whispering to Kanta) "That doesn't seem like much."

**Kanta**: "You need to learn to ration your supplies better." (Turning to man) "That's perfect. By the way do you know of any mines around here?"

**Man**: (With confused look on his face) "There is a facility about 50 miles Southeast of here. No one is allowed there though."

**Kanta:** "Well we're kind of heading that way. What else do you know about it?"

**Man:** (Looking at Kanta like he's a mental patient) "Why would you go there? That place is kept secret. I don't know what goes on there. You really should not go there. It's kept guarded by…"

**Kanta**: "Yeah I know, about a thousand guards you were going to say."

**Man**: "No. Machines. I mean yes there may be only 10 people total at that facility or mine as you call it but it's guarded heavily by robots. Whatever activities are happening there no one is supposed to know. This is strange. You two are not the only ones asking about this facility."

**Morien**: "Wait. Who else wanted to know?"

**Man**: "This stranger who had a very goofy personality. He wore a red trench coat. I don't think he was from around here. He left a few hours ago that same direction."

**Morien**: (turning to Kanta) "This could be good or really bad."

**Kanta**: "Just focus on the mission. If someone else wants to take it down then consider it an assist."

**Man**: "Is this place threatening anyone?

**Kanta:** "It could if we don't do something about it."

**Morien**: "Anyways thanks for the water."

With their water tapped off Kanta and Morien left the village preparing for what could be a firestorm. Within hours they reached the South Eastern region of Libya known as The Great Sand Sea. It was where the Sahara was most unforgiving in that country. Being high noon the sun shined directly on top of Kanta and Morien. Kanta in his Desert Punk suit and Morien with his black fedora, aviator goggles, black military vest, and cargo pants traveled slowly so they wouldn't overheat. Kanta began to think about what the water man had said. (Another person seeking out this mine? I only gave them orders to attack the facility if we need reinforcements. This better be someone totally different and not someone I know who jumped the gun). A loud bang like a mortar shot suddenly broke the silence. Kanta and Morien stopped.

**Morien**: "Something tells me the fight is about to start."

An explosion sending sand and rocks in all directions knocked Kanta and Morien backwards for a few feet as it made a crater just feet in front of them.

**Kanta:** "We're not even there and they've opened fire on us! No wonder that man selling water looked at me like I was retarded! Equip your weapons and run like a bat out of hell to that mine!"

**Morien**: "Where are you going?!"

**Kanta:** "I won't be far behind. Run dammit!"

Morien with Desert Eagles in hand sprinted through the sand as mortar shells began falling all around him sending sand onto his goggles and making almost a melodic sound with the way they hit the ground. Kanta stood behind watching Morien make a break for the mine. (He makes such a good distraction. Now I can get there without bombs raining down on me). Up ahead a tower of what seemed to be a drilling platform came into view. (The mine!) Morien said in his head. Soon the mortar raid had stopped. Morien took a slight breather as he walked up to a 10 foot wall. Kanta came casually walking minutes later.

**Morien**: "Thanks for using me as your mortar diversion, jack-ass!"

**Kanta**: "Anytime. Besides if you got hit you would have survived."

**Morien**: "Yeah, I almost forgot. This wall has to have a gate somewhere or a crack big enough to set an explosive in."

**Kanta**: "Already spotted."

Kanta placed an explosive device in a small half foot hole in the wall.

**Kanta**: "I don't know how thick the wall is or what's on the other side. Let's hope its enough. Fire in the hole bitches!!!"

Morien took cover as the bomb went off sending chucks of concrete outwards onto the sand. After the sand and dust settled Kanta took a look inside. He was greeted with suppressing firepower. He quickly backed up.

**Kanta:** "Damn! Automatic turrets! You got any smokers Finger Paintings?"

**Morien:** "Coming right up!"

Morien threw several aerosol cans into the wall. As they hit the ground the smoke released and grew thicker until the gunfire stopped. Quickly Morien and Kanta ran in with knives in hand severing the wires that connected the turrets to the system. Morien dismounted the turret and carried it back behind a corner out of sight from any other machines that could detect them.

**Kanta**: "Why did you take the turret? How can you even lift that?"

**Morien**: "If I can use their own weapons against them I will. They're much more powerful than what I have."

**Kanta:** "Whatever. Find the main control room and see if you can disable the security systems. I'm going to bring the drill platform to the ground."

The size of the mining facility was immense. Almost every structure was polished chrome so it was like walking in a hall of mirrors. There were no windows in any of the buildings. The sunlight reflected off the buildings making it hard to see around many corners. The arrangement was like a town. Each square building was lined up like houses on a block. As the small paths between the buildings got closer to the platforms their height became greater. A high pitched humming noise could be heard from the center where the platform stood. Morien cautiously walked between buildings not really sure where he was going. The shade was no place to hide from the heat as it was a scorching 110 degrees F. He came to an opening between the buildings where the sun could reach the sandy path. As his foot met the sunlight door panels opened up from the buildings ahead. Morien backed into the shade with newly found weapon in hand aiming at whatever was about to move. Small white mini tanks rolled out in unison making a rectangular formation. They stopped briefly then turned towards Morien.

**Tanks**: (In robotic voice) "Identify yourself. Are you authorized to be at this facility?"

**Morien**: (With smile on his face) "Nope!"

Without hesitation Morien pulled the trigger unloading unrelenting .50 caliber bullets into the tanks. Within seconds the small fleet was reduced to scrap metal. With the doors still opened two white mech-robots that resembled transformers marched onto the path. Both stood about 15 feet tall. In their arms were not guns but long black tubes 5 inches in diameter with blue flames pouring out of them. (Flame throwers) Morien said in his mind. At the same time both mechs unloaded massive fire balls upon Morien. He was suddenly put in a world of pain from the added heat. Without firing a shot he ran onto another path but the mechs quickly kept up with him. He fired back at them but they remained in pursuit. As he ran Morien noticed lots of crossbeams above him. He shot up into the air bringing down a few of them. They landed on the back of the mechs but only severed their fuel lines. This was all Morien needed. He sent bullets into the flammable liquid igniting it which finally stopped the two mechs dead in their tracks. Morien now realizing that he was in pain from the burns leaned against the building for a few moments before moving on. Staying out of the sun he stayed very close to the side until he came across an opening. He looked down in the sand and saw tracks. Someone else was inside. With gun drawn again he walked into a dark hallway.

Kanta, after fighting other defense systems, finally came to the foundation of the platform. It was a navy blue color in the shape of a cylinder. Higher up different levels could be seen. Vibrations shook the ground around the platform. Kanta began to think of ways to bring down the tall edifice. Suddenly the vibrations stopped. The entire facility fell dead silent. (I guess Finger Paintings found the mainframe after all. I didn't even know if one existed). Kanta then heard footsteps coming towards him. Assuming it was Morien Kanta didn't even turn his head.

**Kanta**: "Nice job disabling this place."

When he didn't get a response he looked to discover not Morien but a man with a long red trench coat, blonde spiky hair, orange sunglasses, and a revolver for a weapon. Kanta quickly pulled out his shotgun and fixed it on the man.

**Kanta:** "Who the hell are you?!"

**Vash:** "I could say I'm on your side but you don't seem like the type who's easily convinced."

**Kanta**: "Of course not. I don't even know you. I've been shot at by numerous robots and humanoids in the last hour. I finally get a break reaching here and suddenly you show up. What did you expect?"

**Vash:** "For starters my name is Vash. If I were to guess I would say your objective was to shut this place down."

**Kanta:** "Wow a mind reader" (He said sarcastically) "Why are you interested in this place? Only a handful of people and myself are supposed to be working together from preventing this place to cause worldwide problems. You're not in the loop."

**Vash**: "Local villagers told me about it. After I landed here from space they almost imm…."

**Kanta**: "Wait hold on a minute. Outer space? What are you some kind of space man? (he said waiving his arms in the air like an alien). I've seen a lot of weird things but I think telling me you're not from this world is pushing the envelope."

**Vash**: "You're one to talk."

**Kanta**: "(with stunned look) HEY! HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!"

**Vash**: "Nevermind that. I spotted your friend as he was being attacked by a couple of flame mechs. He defeated them then followed my trail to the mainframe. He should be coming by any minute."

**Kanta**: "You are seriously creeping me out! I would inquire further but right now I need to bring this platform down. You going to help me or what?"

**Vash**: "I'm one step ahead of you."

Vash reveals a detonator just as Morien catches up with them.

**Morien:** "Who are you?"

**Kanta**: "We'll play the introduction game later. We need to leave now."

**Vash:** "We need to get a safe distance before we blow this thing."

**Morien:** "I already found the defense system shut down but I can guess it was your doing. We can at least get out without worrying about being shot…or burned."

The trio walked half a mile out of the base before Vash pushed the detonator. A loud pop was heard. The platform swayed for a moment before falling over creating a massive wall of sand covering up any debris. Thinking the mission is over they begin to walk back North but a new sound filled the air. They turned towards the base as a large mech rose from underneath what was left of the facility. It was basically a walking chaingun with multiple weapons jetting out from almost every orifice. The 200 foot tall mech began it's march towards the trio as they began to run. Firing everything it had it rained utter hell on the fleeing trio.

**Kanta:** "I thought you said you shut down the security!"

**Vash**: "We underestimated them. Should have known they would have a backup."

**Morien**: "Well we can't outrun this thing! What the hell do we do now?!"

**Kanta**: "Like I told you before always have a plan B! I expected something like this to happen so I made a call before we infiltrated the facility! Should be any moment!"

Out in the distance something was stirring up the sand. Above it were series of dots. Upon a closer look the trio saw a battalion of tanks and a fleet of attack helicopters heading right towards them. As they ran towards safety a swarm of stinger missiles flew overhead striking the large mech in the upper right arm severing it. Then the tanks unloaded their deadly payload on the legs bringing the machine to ground level. The attack helicopters flew over the fallen mech finishing it off with guns and missile pods. Breathing heavily the trio finally stopped as they were surrounded by tanks. Morien recognized the tank type and each insignia. (Their Russian) he said to himself. A hatch opened and a man with a helmet, sunglasses, and a cigarette climbed out. Morien looked at him and locked eyes as a sharp realization hit him. The man stopped and the same feeling occurred.

**Morien**: "Father!?"


	9. Reassignment

**Chapter 9**

(As a reminder I do not own any of the characters used except Morien. Support the official releases!)

The desert sun seemed to remain at high noon as sand dunes of the Libyan desert continued shifting like the waves of the sea. Only the sound of the wind, Russian helicopters, and the diesel engines of multiple Russian tanks could be heard as the trio of Kanta, Vash, and Morien exercised different feelings concerning the surrounding battalion. No one seemed to have more questions or ambiguity than Morien. All out all the people he expected to see rise from the center of the metal monstrosity, his father had not been anywhere near close on that list. Being the source of his Russian half, Morien's father Dmitri Eeham was a commanding officer of the Russian counter terrorist group Spetsnaz mainly working in urban counter terrorist missions but occasionally called to lead tank battalions. Dmitri was highly decorated for having little experience in tank usage confirming over 30 kills. After the initial shock subsided the conversation between father and son commenced.

**Morien**: "Father!? Don't tell me you're working for this wingnut (he said pointing to Kanta)"

**Dmitri**: "(in a strong Russian accent) When Kanta told me he was working with one other who knew that my own son was fulfilling what he could not do in the American Military. Have you finally decided to work for the Motherland?"

**Morien**: "I was supposed to be just a mercenary. It was never brought to my attention that Spetsnaz had ties with Kanta."

**Dmitri:** "He is rather unorthodox but working with him has helped us take more control over INSF operations. Thanks to you two…wait there's three of you?"

**Vash**: "Don't mind me."

**Kanta**: "Yeah he surprised both of us. Still don't really know anything about him but he helped in our mission. I guess that makes him legitimate."

**Dmitri**: "I only brought payment for two. Still. My own son! I have never been more proud of you than I am right now! I still wonder sometimes why you chose to be a school teacher."

**Morien**: "Like I told you working for Russia was not my intention. I would still rather be labeled as a mercenary."

**Dmitri**: "It's better than working for those 'Yanks! Anyways here is your payment (he handed Morien a large golden brown envelope with all Russian letters on it)

**Morien**: "The last time I got money from you was when I was 15. I still can't get over what's going on right now."

**Dmitri**: "Listen up. You three may think that by severing the INSF's ties with this mine the terrorists have given up. This war has only begun. Whatever minerals they got from the facility are being experimented on in South and North eastern Asia."  
**Vash**: "And you know this how?"

**Kanta**: "Whatever information Morien missed back at Base 327 in Germany I managed to find it and then sent it to Dmitri in St. Petersburg. It's safe to tell you now that I've been working for Dmitri almost since the moment I arrived here. Had you told me your last name, Morien, I may have figured out that I was working for your father much earlier. The world is small after all."

**Morien**: "So this information stated that there are laboratories out east experimenting with this same gas that…well…do you even know what happened to me?"

**Dmitri**: "Yes. Kanta filled me in. You should have lost control of your conscious. The rest of the survivors of ICE 493 may be used to create an army of strength enhanced soldiers. The gas is supposed to erase your memory so that you can be easily controlled by whoever your captor is. You got off lucky. You should be able to be able to withstand fast moving objects like bullets and missiles. Fire can still harm you. But your abilities only come to you when you are in danger of being killed. Once the danger ceases it wears off. So you need to work quickly."

**Morien**: "So flames are still able to hurt me. I found that out the hard way back at the mine."

**Kanta**: "One other thing. When your ability spikes you should be able to absorb any firearm or explosive into your skin. The result is being able to shoot pure energy. Think of yourself as being a human laser gun."

**Morien:** "You two know more about me than I do. Are you sure about what you said Kanta? The whole gun absorption?"

**Kanta**: "Don't question anything. Just accept it. Looks like we're heading east now."

**Vash:** "Does this mean I'm part of your fighting force now?

**Morien**: "That's completely up to you but the more the merrier. So Vash is the name huh. I've never heard that name before."

**Vash**: "It's not very common on planet Gunsmoke."

**Morien**: "Wait, where are you from?!"

**Kanta**: "Morien, everything will be explained later. We're out of here."

One of the Russian helicopters lands within the center of the group of numerous tanks.

**Dmitri**: "This pilot will take you to an airfield in Egypt. From there you will head east, refuel in Singapore, and then head North to Vladivostok in Eastern Russia. They are enriching the mineral there to make it much more potent. You will be given the location of the lab when you arrive in Vladivostok. Good luck my son. Same to the rest of you. Mother Russia is counting on you. The rest of the world falls into that category come to think of it."

With the rather quick mission of taking out the mining facility a past memory the trio is flown to an airstrip just a few miles across into the Egyptian border. From there they walk a few steps to a massive dark gray C-5 Galaxy cargo plane.

**Morien**: "My father always puts down the American military and yet we are flying in an American plane to get to our next sortie? I'm just going to take your advice, Kanta, and not question anything."

**Kanta**: "Good. Maybe with your bitching on hold I can catch some sleep while we're en route."

**Vash**: "Is there any way we can get some doughnuts before we depart? 7 hours is too long to be deprived of the treat!"

**Morien**: "Uh Vash…you are an expert gunman right? Because you sure as hell don't act like one sometimes."

**Vash**: "There are times to be serious but if it's not one of those times I let my strange yet amiable personality show itself."

**Morien**: "Fair enough. Where's our pilot at?"

**Pilot:** "I'm over here" (He said emerging from a refrigerator box under the wing)

All three look at him with a weird facial expression.

**Kanta**: "What where you doing in there? And you're really our pilot?"

**Pilot**: "Yes sir. The name is Nabeshin. My role is to be your pilot and provide additional firepower wherever you guys need it. Also I may provide spoilers at random moments throughout this story!"

**Narrator**: "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

**Nabeshin**: "Sorry! (He said with a bow)

**Vash**: "Did anyone else hear a voice coming from the air? Something along the lines of 'don't even think about it?"

**Nabeshin**: "Just disregard the last 15 seconds. Get all your equipment into the aircraft. We leave in a few minutes. And stay out of the vehicle inside."

As the trio brought the last of their gear inside the doors closed and the lights inside the windowless cargo compartment turned on revealing a luxurious gun-metal black RV. It was as long as a city bus but stood rather tall.

**Morien**: "Why is this in here?"

**Nabeshin**: "That's my party van. Your father was kind enough to allow me to take my vacation stuff with me. I shoot things then go on vacation. Life can't get much better!"

**Kanta**: "Since we're all working together I think we should all have a right to use it. Not that I need to but incase something comes up we should all have equal access."

**Nabeshin**: "Hey I paid good money for it! Hands off!"

**Vash**: "You're not a good liar."

**Nabeshin**: "Damn, you're good. Very well then. It used to belong to the American CIA but they retired it from age. I randomly stumbled across it in a junkyard and took it. It was already stripped of the high tech equipment that the government used but everything else was in tact. Oven, microwave, sink, etc. I made a few modifications, repainted it and now she runs like she was just created."

**Morien**: "Well that's nice but that's just dead weight we're carrying"

**Nabeshin**: "No! She stays. We can throw your ass out when we reach 35,000 feet."

**Morien**: *facepalm* "Fine it stays."

**Nabeshin**: "Thanks for seeing it my way. That ladder over there leads to the upper deck where the sleeping quarters are including 2 restrooms. It's going to be a long flight so kick back and relax. Oh and Vash there are doughnuts in the lounge upstairs."

**Vash**: "Coming through guys!"

Almost knocking Kanta and Morien over Vash reached the ladder and quickly ran his way up to the lounge.

**Kanta**: "For freaking donuts? Get real."

**Morien**: "Over addiction happens to almost everyone"

**Kanta**: "Oh yeah? Well what would make you do something like that?"

**Morien**: "It can be an assortment of things. Just depends on my mood"

**Kanta**: "This world is weird. But at least you're more lively than the people from where I come from"

**Morien**: "I'm curious as to what this upper deck is like."

Morien soon followed and worked his way up the ladder to the upper deck. The hall was so narrow only one person could fit at a time. The sleeping decks were as small as an office cubicle but still provided enough space for an individual to be comfortable. It was a simple layout but it would do. The hall opened up to a lounge with a round table. The walls were white and curved as they followed the outline of the aircraft all the way to the bottom. There was only one light bulb but it was enough to shed enough light for anyone to see. The left corner looking forward had a microwave and a sink while the right corner had a television. The lounge then led back into another hallway which would end at the cockpit door.

Over the speaker Nabeshin began informing the trio of what was going on.

**Nabeshin**: "Gentlemen. Please make your way to the lounge if you haven't done so. You will notice everything is either strapped down or nailed to the floor. Take your seats but seat belts are optional. You know if you want to stand during take off I won't stop you."

**Vash**: (with mouth full of donuts) "Man this guy is insane. I mean to think we're trusting him to fly this large contraption!"

**Morien**: "He's all we have so sit tight. How many of those did you eat?"

**Vash**: "I lost count after 19"

**Morien**: "Addicted much?"

**Vash**: "I don't know what it is. No other food makes me want to binge like this."

Soon the sound of all 4 engines drowned out any other sound within the C-5. Morien took a seat at the round table where Vash was. The plane taxied for about 10 minutes before reaching the beginning of the runway.

**Nabeshin**: "We've been cleared for take-off. Hang on back there!"

The engine noised roared loudly as the thrust of the plane moving forward pulled Morien and Vash into their seats. The donut box slid off the table and into the hallway leading towards the sleeping section.

**Vash**: "Come on! I wasn't finished with those."

**Morien**: "There are other people on this plane you know. Speaking of which where is Kanta?"

A crashing sound similar to a car wreck came from the cargo bay below.

**Vash**: (stops and looks at the entrance to the cargo bay below) "I think that was him being thrown into the radiator of that RV."

**Morien**: "Well Nabeshin did warn him"

The C-5 slowly lifted off the ground and turned towards the direction of Singapore. Minutes after take-off a bruised Kanta finally made his way up the ladder and into the lounge. Morien was about to state the obvious but…

**Kanta**: "Don't say a word."

Kanta then left his seat and retreated to the sleeping section to get some much needed rest. A light turbulence was shaking the plane but nothing concerning.

**Morien**: "Ok so tell me again. Where are you from? Who or what are you?"

**Vash**: "Again my name is Vash. I'm from a planet called Gunsmoke. You may find it hard to believe but it's the truth. I came to Earth to get away from people back on Gunsmoke who were after the 60 billion Double Dollar bounty on my head. At first it wasn't hard to handle but people were in desperate need of money so it seemed like the entire planet was after me. The reason I have this bounty was because I unintentionally wiped out two cities with this devastating weapon embedded under my left arm.

**Morien**: "Yeah…accidentally…right"

**Vash**: "I was under a mind a control. Again hard to believe but I tell the truth. My brother, Knives, had a huge disdain towards the human race and wanted to wipe them all out. I stopped him and he eventually saw my way. But things got back to normal with people coming after me more frequently. So I left Gunsmoke and came here. A close female companion of mine, Merryl, spoke of Earth so I chose here as my destination. Meeting you two was fate I suppose."

**Morien**: "Your story isn't very compelling but after everything that has happened to me I'll still believe anything. What's planet Gunsmoke like?

**Vash:** "It's all a desert much like where Kanta came from"

**Morien**: "Two men from different parts of the universe yet from the same type of environment. What are the odds?"

Night had come as the plane flew towards Singapore. Morien made his way into the sleeping quarters and quickly fell asleep. 6 hours later daylight had already come when Nabeshin made another announcement over the speaker.

**Nabeshin**: "Good morning everyone. Kanta I told you to not touch my RV! I hope that radiator tasted good! Anyways we'll be landing in Singapore in 30 minutes. Within the time we are refueling you are free to go about the city and do just about anything. Don't get in trouble and don't chew gum!"

**Morien**: (too tired to go anywhere. I'll just keep on sleeping)

The C-5 touched down at Changi International Airport and taxied to a vacant ramp to be refueled. Kanta and Vash decided to head into the city. As they reached downtown they became mesmerized by the modernization of our world and comparing it with theirs.

**Vash**: "This is absolutely amazing. Nowhere on Gunsmoke will you find a civilization comparable to this one.

**Kanta**: "The same can be said for the Kanto Desert where I'm from. The only buildings we have that are this size are ruins. Gangs use them for hideouts."

**Vash**: "And for its size this place is clean. The glass is spot free. The streets are untouched by any litter. I'm just overall impressed. Don't know what else to say.

**Kanta**: "I think I may end up residing here when this war is over. Singapore City. I'm sure there are plenty of jobs I can find doing mercenary work."

Soon Kanta and Vash returned to the plane. They found Morien who was inspecting the landing gear system.

**Morien**: "How was the city?"  
**Kanta**: "I'm moving here when all is said and done."

**Vash**: "I'm speechless. The only downside is that I couldn't find any donuts."

**Nabeshin**: "Morien, if you're done with the landing gear the aircraft is refueled and ready to go. By the way I was given word that Vladivostok is being patrolled heavily by air now and I'm sure ISNF is behind it so we'll have to land in the Japanese city of Sapporo and take a ship to Russia"

Morien: "Do what you have to do"

With all occupants back on board the C-5 roared up its engines once more and merged with Changi Airport traffic. After waiting in line for 20 minutes Nabeshin took the massive cargo plane to the air. Morien decided to go back to sleep while Vash and Kanta tried to find something to do to pass the time. Kanta came across a board game in the cabinet.

**Vash**: "What do you have there?"

**Kanta**: "A board game. Morien had to explain what they were to me. I think if we read the instructions we should be fine. Besides there's nothing else to do.

**Vash:** "So what game is that?"

**Kanta**: "Umm…Hungry Hungry Hippos? What the hell? Oh well it's better than nothing"

**Vash**: "This looks rather childlike."

**Kanta**: "So you're out then?"

**Vash**: "No no…I'll play."

A few hours passed when Morien woke up to the sound of plastic hippos consuming white plastic spheres. He left the bed and walked into the lounge.

**Morien**: "Hungry Hungry Hippos? Is that the only game you could find?"

**Kanta**: "This game is addictive, no matter how childish it is!"

**Vash**: "I agree. The simplicity of plastic hippos eating white balls makes this game unchallenging yet fun"

**Morien**: "Anyone know where we are?"

**Kanta**: "Yeah, Nabeshin said we just starting to fly over Japan. I think we're getting close to flying over some city called Tokyo"

**Morien**: "That's not just some city. It's actually the largest city on planet Earth."

**Vash**: "Is it like Singapore?"

**Morien**: "I'm not sure. I've never been to Tokyo. I guess we can always find out later on."

**Kanta**: "You want in next game?"

**Morien**: "No thanks. I'm just going to make some coffee then head down to the cargo deck to clean out some of the equipment."

**Nabeshin**: "Guys! Quickly come to the cockpit! I think we have company!"

**Morien and Kanta**: "Not again!"

The trio rushed through the cockpit door. Morien sat in the co-pilot seat.

**Morien**: "Ok what's going on?"

**Nabeshin**: "I've spotted multiple aircraft on radar. I've made out calls to them but none are responding. I don't think their friendly.

**Kanta**: "Does this turkey have any defenses!?"

**Nabeshin**: "I'm afraid not."

**Vash**: "Well then what are we going to do? If they are fighters we won't be able to out fly them."

**Nabeshin:** "I'm descending to a lower altitude. We just flew over Tokyo so the airspace down there is not as congested. Everyone strap in. This may not end well!"

**Morien**: "Here they come!"

Two Mig-29 fighters began shooting at the left wing of the C-5.

**Nabeshin**: "We've lost engines one and two!"

**Morien**: "What's going to happen to the rest of you!? I know Vash and I are the only ones who can survive the impact of a crash!"

**Nabeshin**: "Don't worry about me! I've been in much worse situations! I'm going to have to attempt a crash landing."  
**Kanta**: "I don't know if you've noticed but the ground is nothing but mountains and heavy forest!"

**Nabeshin**: "Kanta run to the RV! It's virtually indestructible! I modified it with super absorbent airbags!"

**Kanta**: "Are you sure?! These could be my last minutes of life!"

**Nabeshin**: "TRUST ME! RUN!!!"

Kanta ran from the cockpit to the cargo compartment. The plane was shaking violently as the Migs continued their assault. They opened fire on the right wing.

**Nabeshin**: "Engines 3 and 4 are out!"

**Morien:** "This is bad this is bad thisisbad!!!!"

**Vash:** "Are you sure you can land this thing in one piece!?"

**Nabeshin**: "No! Good chance this thing will crash and burn!"

**Morien**: "Great! Your honesty is not what we need right now! Look over there! An open field with several ponds. Head that way!!"

The Migs shot once more into the fuselage piercing the aircraft. The rush of air was violent but because everything in the cargo bay was heavy nothing moved. The C-5's nose lowered. Without power it was unable to lift upwards.

**Nabeshin**: "Brace for impact!"

With the gear down Nabeshin set up the plane for an almost perfect landing. It touched down in a carrot field sending dirt and carrots sky high as the 440 ton cargo plane raced across the field. The bumps were so violent the RV came loose and it was if it had hydraulics. Kanta bounced around like a ping-pong ball. Meanwhile in the cockpit Nabeshin and Morien struggled for control of the plane but it wasn't designed for off-roading. Several seconds passed and the C-5 entered a forest shearing off both wings. Eventually it came to a complete stop.

**Morien**: "That was the best crash landing ever!"

**Vash**: "I'll go check on Kanta!"

**Nabeshin**: "That was bumpy but other than that not a single scratch."

**Morien**: "I think we all better go check on Kanta!"

Racing down the ladder which was now bent like a Z Morien, Nabeshin, and Vash worked their way through the mess of guns, ammunition, and supplies scattered across the floor to get to the RV which was also intact to the relief of the 3 men. Nabeshin opened the RV and all the way in the back was Kanta moaning in a bit of pain but still much alive.

**Nabeshin**: "Can you walk?"

**Kanta**: "I'll be fine" (he said in a painful tone)

**Morien**: "I hope the doors to the outside aren't jammed"

**Vash**: "Use your strength. I'm sure since you were in a situation where you could have been killed they are still active."

Morien ran to an emergency exit door. With one kick the door came off and chopped two trees down as it disappeared somewhere into the forest.

**Morien**: "The plane carved a trail so we'll backtrack and figure out where we are. Gather up your equipment and lets go."

The 4 men walked for about half a mile through the woods when they came across a dirt trail. They decided to take it instead of the path the downed plane carved. Nothing but dense forest surrounded them. The sunlight had a difficult time reaching the forest floor. Up ahead Vash heard footsteps.

**Vash**: "Hold up. Someone is coming!"

They stopped expecting soldiers to show up and finish what the Migs started. Instead it was a young girl with aqua blue hair and pink eyes wearing a long green dress. She was happily skipping on the path heading towards the carrot field when she saw the 4 men. She stopped for a moment with a surprised look on her face. She then broke into a smile and walked to them and introduced herself:

**Girl: ** "Hi, I'm Sasami."


	10. When Worlds Collide

Chapter 10

(Tenchi Muyo belongs to Hitoshi Okuda. Vash the Stampede, Nabeshin, and Desert Punk belong to their rightful owners. Morien belongs to me)

Although still in a daze from the crash landing the 4 labeled mercenaries were also in bewilderment wondering what a young girl was doing in the middle of a dark forest.

**Morien**: "Sasami? Uh…hello to you as well. Our plane was just ditched in the woods a few hundred yards back. We landed in a field but couldn't stop in time."

**Sasami**: "Which field?"

Kanta pointed towards the direction of the carrot field.

**Sasami**: (in upset tone) "Oh no! The carrot field!? Those carrots were for Ryo-oh-ki!!"

**Kanta**: "Rio what?"

**Vash**: "You must live close to here then."

**Sasami:** (still a bit upset) "Yes. I live with a few others back this way. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you out. Are you all okay then? Weren't there 4 of you?"

Kanta, Vash, and Morien look around.

**Morien**: "Where's Nabeshin? He was just here."

**Kanta**: "He probably went to go save his precious RV (in little girl's tone)"

**Vash**: "Anyways why are you out here by yourself…Sasami right?"

**Sasami**: "Yes. I was on my way to pick some vegetables in the field for supper tonight. How bad did your machine ruin the field?"

**Morien**: "We landed halfway through the field but the bumps sent the plane up and down so damage should be minimal"

**Vash**: "Anyways Kanta is injured pretty significantly. Are there any medical facilities around here?"

**Sasami**: "There's no need for that. (Her cheerful smile returned) Washu can heal him back to his normal self in no time! I can take you guys there now. I'll just come back later and get the vegetables."

**Morien**: "Lead the way. We'll be right behind you."

For the next several minutes they walked through the woods. Sasami was again happily skipping humming a tune while Vash, Morien, and Kanta looked ahead. In front of them they saw the trail leading to an opening in the woods. Before they reached it a loud bang shook the ground.

**Morien**: "What on Earth was that?! Did the INSF follow us down here?!"

**Sasami**: "Wait here!"

**Morien**: "Hold on a second! This could be dangerous! A young girl like you shouldn't get in the path of a terrorist group! Let us handle it!"

Morien caught up with Sasami. In front of him a large red floating vessel was hovering over a house in the middle of the clearance.

**Morien**: "What…is that?! I've never seen an aircraft like that!"

**Sasami:** (Horrified tone) "Oh no! It can't be! Kagato!"

4 smaller drones emerged from the ship and headed towards where Sasami and Morien stood.

**Sasami**: "They're coming right towards us!! Run!"

Before they turned around 4 gunshots rang out from the woods. All 4 drones burst into flames and crashed into the ground. Vash the Stampede walked out with his signature revolver in hand; barrel smoking as he reloaded his weapon.

**Sasami**: (very surprised) "Who are you guys!?"

**Vash**: "We can introduce each other later. Let's take care of the predicament at hand. Morien, looks like we're going to have a tough fight on our hands. Game face on!"

**Morien**: "Don't have to tell me twice!"

A clone of Kagato had come to earth to bring chaos upon the Masaki residence and ultimately the rest of the planet. On the deck just outside the Masaki home, a modern samurai warrior, an ex-space pirate, and Jurian Princess stood in battle stance waiting for the first move to be made. Out of the corner of Kagato's eye he noticed his drones were a smoking wreckage out in the distance. He diverted his attention to the downed drones. Seeing two figures, one in a red trench coat and the other with a black military vest, beige cargo pants and a fedora walking towards him, he floated down to the ground to meet the two men. Everyone on the deck followed.

**Kagato:** "How is it that two Earthlings took out my drones?"

**Morien**: "First of all only one of us is the Earthling. Second of all it was all this guy."

**Vash**: "Guilty"

**Kagato**: "Pretentious fools! No matter. I've come back a stronger individual than before. I'll just sweep through you both then destroy this world like I intended long ago."

**Morien**: "Are you working for INSF?"

**Kagato**: "I don't know what that is…but take this as a gift!"

Kagato fired an energy blast at the duo. Morien and Vash stood their ground as the beam landed between both of them. A massive explosion engulfed them sending grass and dirt skywards.

**Kagato**: "What a waste of time. I should have just used a smaller attack on…what's this?!"

The dirt quickly cleared revealing Morien and Vash still standing virtually scratch-free. Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka stood in shock.

**Vash**: "Morien, your power should be enough to battle this man. Work quickly. I'll distract him (he said taking aim with his revolver)

Before anyone took action a streak of light came from the sky. It stopped right in front of Vash and Morien. It was Nabeshin. His afro was now a golden color as the rest of him was emitting pure light energy. (For those who don't understand watch the last couple of episodes of Excel Saga. You'll see what I mean then)

**Morien**: "Nabeshin! What's this?! How are you doing that?"

**Nabeshin**: "I told you! My job was to assist you in any altercation you come across! I have many tricks up my sleeve! Just sit back and watch!"

**Kagato**: "Your energy level is quite high. I look forward to this fight!"

With those words Nabeshin flew forward. Kagato readied his green energy sword. When Nabeshin reached him he threw out a kick. Kagato dodged and swung his sword at Nabeshin but it was deflected. From his afro Nabeshin pulled out a halberd and began swinging at Kagato. The aerial battle continued on as Vash, Morien, Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka looked onwards. Meanwhile back in the woods Sasami tended to the wounded Kanta.

**Kanta**: "What's going on!? Where is everyone!?"

**Sasami**: "I think your friends are fighting Kagato."

**Kanta:** "They're in battle without me?! I must go….oh that hurts! On second thought you need to help me walk."

**Sasami**: "Just stay here! We can only hope Kagato is defeated."

**Kanta:** "I need you to run back to the wreckage and grab my .50 caliber sniper rifle!"

**Sasami**: "What? I don't know anything about guns!"

**Kanta**: "It's just long metal rifle with a scope on it! It's green! Hurry now!"

**Sasami**: "I'll try!"

Back outside the woods Nabeshin and Kagato continued to exchange attacks. For a moment they stopped.

**Nabeshin**: "A worthy opponent you are."

**Kagato**: "A worthless opponent you are. I'm only toying with you!"

Ryoko had seen enough and flew upwards placing herself on Nabeshin's side.

**Ryoko**: "Normally I would let you fight alone but this bastard gave me a bad name known throughout most of the universe. I want him dead!

**Nabeshin**: "Fine by me." (He said with thumbs up and a wink)

**Ryoko**: "And keep your gestures to yourself….eech!"

The standoff continued on.

**Kagato**: "Ryoko my darling, did you not learn anything from our last battle? You and Ayeka both attempted to fight me and if it wasn't for Tenchi you surely would have joined all the other life forms I have eliminated. Besides I've come back a much stronger force to be dealt with. Let's see how ready you are!"

Ryoko equipped her orange energy sword and Nabeshin this time pulled a mace out of his afro. The fight resumed. Ryoko and Nabeshin took turns exchanging attacks but all were parried.

**Morien**: "Vash! Give me a weapon!"

Vash gave Morien his Desert Eagle.

**Morien**: "I hope Kanta was right about gun to pure energy attack!"

He placed the Desert Eagle on his left forearm. The outline of the weapon was etching itself in a blue light across Morien's arm and soon it disappeared. Seconds later Morien felt as if he had been stuck with several lightning bolts. With all his strength he jumped into the air above the level where the battle was going on. As gravity was about to pull him back down he took aim and shot a massive blue energy ray towards Kagato. Kagato immediately looked up.

**Kagato**: "Impossible! He's just a mere Earthling!"

Kagato flew out of the way in time but Nabeshin took advantage of the brief distraction and struck Kagato in the jaw with a huge kick sending him into the ground leaving a small crater. Ayeka and Tenchi just stared in amazement. But Kagato stood back up within seconds.

**Kagato**: "Hitting a warrior while distracted. That's dishonorable."

**Morien**: "Not when your intentions are to destroy this world. When 7 billion people are at risk all bets are off."

**Kagato**: "Well in that case I'll show you my true powe…."

Another shot came from the forest. Kagato's head burst like a watermelon exploding. His headless body stood for a moment then dropped to the ground and quickly turned into dust. The wind blew it away. All eyes stared at the crater for a second in utter shock then turned towards the forest to find Kanta with his .50 caliber. The pain he suffered from the crash came back upon him and he fell to the ground.

**Ryoko**: "How were you able to defeat him with such a primitive weapon!?"

**Morien**: "It's most likely due to the fact that you're all so advanced you've neglected what you call 'primitive' weapons. Kagato did not expect a brass .50 caliber bullet; only energy like you we're using. Guaranteed if another clone of his emerges he won't make the same mistake twice."

**Ryoko**: "His ship has his data on it. If we destroy it he shouldn't be able to reproduce himself."

**Morien**: "Vash, I think this is your job."

**Vash**: "I'm on it."

Vash held his revolver in his right hand aiming at Kagato's massive red ship. His right arm began to pulsate and from it emerged a large super weapon that engulfed his entire right arm as well as his pistol. It hummed loudly. When it was fully charged he fired. I large white laser shot out from his arm cannon. As it hit Kagato's ship it disintegrated completely. The blast was so powerful that all vegetation within the open area was wiped out. Ayeka protected herself and Tenchi with her shield while Morien, Ryoko, and Nabeshin ran back to the woods. The light from the explosion died out soon as Sasami helped Kanta back on his feet and walked him towards Ayeka and Tenchi. The other 3 followed. Ryoko flew back towards Tenchi and Ayeka as Nabeshin, Morien, and Vash stood in front of them. All six of them now faced each other 3 on 3.

**Ryoko**: "We really appreciate the help and all but who the hell are you guys?"

**Tenchi**: "Are you Juraians as well?"

**Morien**: "Juraians? No. My name is Morien. I'm from Earth but thanks to a terrorist group's experiment I've acquired these abilities."

**Vash**: "I'm Vash. I come from Planet Gunsmoke. I just follow these guys around and eat donuts whenever I get the chance."

**Ayeka**: "Gunsmoke you say? That planet is within the Juraian solar system!"

**Nabeshin**: "Nabeshin is the name. Like I told these guys my job is to provide additional support when needed and spoil…"  
**Narrator**: "AHEM!"

**Nabeshin**: "Oh right…hehe!"

**Ryoko**: "Seriously? You goof-balls defeated Kagato? This is unreal."

**Vash**: "Don't judge a book by its cover. Besides when you are unorthodox your enemies will have a difficult time figuring out what move you will make."

**Ryoko**: "Fair enough. Where is that guy who shot Kagato?"

**Morien**: "I think Sasami took him to wherever you guys live. She said something about a Washu was going to heal him."

Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka gasped.

**Ryoko**: "WHAT?! SHE'S GOING TO RAPE HIM WITH HER MANY MACHINES!"

Vash, Morien, and Nabeshin looked at each other each of them with one eyebrow raised.

**Morien**: "Sounds serious but considering everything he's endured thus far I think he can handle it. Besides getting Kanta nursed back to health is all that matters right now. She will bring him back to 100 percent right?"

**Ryoko**: "I suppose but still. You better check on him once in a while!"

**Tenchi**: "I'm just glad this battle didn't get any worse. The grassland has been destroyed but Washu's garden-bots should restore any loss within a few hours. How did you guys even get here?"

**Morien:** "We were en route from Singapore to Vladivostok, Russia and we were shot down by fighter jets. We crash landed about half a mile that way in the woods. Most of our supplies are still in one piece. Even the fuselage of our aircraft is pretty intact. We bumped into Sasami in the woods and she led us here."

**Ayeka:** "That sounds like Sasami. Always friendly and willing to help any random stranger."

**Tenchi**: "What will you guys do now?"

Nabeshin and Vash looked at Morien.

**Morien**: "Why are you looking at me? I'm not really a plan B type of person! I wasn't expecting to be brought out of the sky and end up here! I honestly have no idea what happens next."

**Tenchi**: "Well while you think about it why don't you join us for supper. It's the least we can do to thank you for all you've done."

**Morien**: "If that's really alright with you than I accept.

**Vash**: "Sounds good."

**Nabeshin**: "Fine by me but I'm going to head back to the wreckage and try to salvage what I can. I'll catch up with you guys later."

Tenchi, Ryoko, and everyone else reached the Masaki home.

**Tenchi**: "Make yourself at home. Just don't break anything."

**Vash**: "I guess I can be clumsy at times."

**Ryoko**: "And all those Sake bottles you see; those are mine. Keep your hands off!"

**Tenchi**: "Ryoko, my father paid for those. They can drink if they want to."

**Ryoko**: (putting her arms around Tenchi's waistline) "But Tenchi, now that we have more people in the house I really think I should be able to hoard my favorite things."

**Morien**: "If you need money to compensate for us being here I can cover you (he said pulling the money out of the envelope his father gave him) "But you'll have to convert it to Yen first."

**Ryoko**: "HOLY…!! I TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID! WHERE DID YOU GET THAT MUCH MONEY?!!?"

**Morien**: "….my job?"

**Tenchi**: "Which is what if you don't mind me asking?"

**Morien**: "I'm a high school/college history professor"

**Tenchi**: "Huh…really? You make that much as an instructor?"

**Morien**: "Well not exactly. It's from my other job. Look I'll tell you about it later if you really want to know. If you do need help with anything just let me know."

**Ryoko**: "Yeah I need money to buy more alcohol!"

**Tenchi**: "Behave yourself Ryoko."

**Ryoko**: "But…oh alright." (I'll just steal it later) she said to herself with a grin.

**Tenchi**: "Anyways, how much damage did your plane leave behind?"

**Vash:** "The wings were severed from the plane but other than that and maybe several downed trees there really isn't much damage."

**Tenchi**: "That's a relief. If you don't mind do you think you could take the wings out of the carrot field and place them elsewhere so the field looks like a field again?"

**Morien**: "Vash and I will get on that right away"

**Tenchi**: "Excellent. Supper should be ready within the next few hours so take your time."

Vash and Morien walked outside onto the deck to head back towards the crash site. A small half cat half rabbit was coming in from the opposite direction. Both men stopped and looked down.

**Morien**: "What's this? I've never seen an animal like you before. Are you the Ryo-oh-ki that Sasami was talking about?

**Ryo-oh-ki**: "Mearw!"

**Morien**: "Vash, is it me or does it seem like we can communicate with this animal as if it were human?"

**Vash**: "I was wondering the same thing. Can you do a back-flip Ryo-oh-ki?"

Ryo-oh-ki did exactly that.

**Morien**: "This is amazing! I have to get me one of these! Say do you want to come to the carrot field with us to get rid of those massive airplane wings?"

**Ryo-oh-ki**: "Mearw!"

Ryo-oh-ki transformed into the large spacecraft that she does when someone from the Masaki residence is about to go on a galactic adventure. Morien and Vash stood in awe and silence for a few moments.

**Vash**: "Look on the bright side. Now getting rid of those wings will be a cinch."

**Morien:** "I see that. (Looking at the floor with eyes closed) Don't question anything Morien…don't question anything. Just accept what you saw."

**Vash**: "Why are you talking to yourself?"

**Morien**: "I'm convincing myself not to go insane. I mean…spaceships now? What's next? 20,000 year old women? How do we even get inside that thing?"

A tractor beam brought Morien and Vash onto the ship. In just a few seconds they were already at the crash site.

**Morien**: "Okay Ryo-oh-ki. If you could just take both wings and place them on top of a mountain. Any of the ones out in the distance will do."

After Ryo-oh-ki complete her small task she dropped off Morien and Vash by the rest of the wreckage then transformed back into a cabbit. Walking inside the C-5 they found Nabeshin.

**Vash**: "I still can't believe how intact this fuselage is for landing in the middle of a forest."

**Nabeshin**: "I can't find the radios. We can't communicate with Dmitri."

**Morien**: "I think you're forgetting I'm his son. I do have his number. I just don't know when he'll take a break as a civilian from his work with Spetsnaz."

**Vash**: "Does that mean we're going to be stuck here for a while?"

**Morien**: "It seems so. At least Tenchi, Ryoko, Sasami, and Ayeka seem warm and friendly. Just remember to try to help them out financially if you get a chance since they're helping us out."

**Vash**: "Your father didn't even pay me."

**Morien**: "That's your fault. You should have found us sooner. (Chuckles)"

**Nabeshin**: "Well the good news is that the RV is still working. I just need to get it out of here. Hey Morien, the back cargo bay door won't open. Could you break it open?"

**Morien**: "Umm, my strength has ebbed away. Not sure how to bring it back…"

Nabeshin pulled a pistol from his afro and shot Morien.

**Morien**: "Hey asshole! What the hell!?"

**Nabeshin**: "Your strength is back now. Break down that damn door!"

**Morien**: "That was uncalled for! But it was ingenious at the same time."

With a double punch the large cargo bay door burst open.

**Nabeshin**: "Thanks! Another thing you two should know. Since we can still use this fuselage as a shelter there are only two beds upstairs now and one in the RV. The fourth person will have to sleep in a tent. Kanta is injured so he gets a bed by default. With that said…not it!"

**Vash**: "Not it!"

**Morien**: "HUH!? We played that game when we were in 3rd grade! You can't use that to determine who sleeps where for the next few days!"

**Nabeshin**: "You lost fair and square Morien."

**Morien**: "Grr…fine! It can't be that bad I suppose. Can I at least see the tent?"

Nabeshin threw a large unopened cardboard box at Morien.

**Morien**: "Oh…it's one of those top quality Coleman tents with 3 rooms. I feel much better about sleeping outside now. I kind of feel bad for bitching…kind of."

**Nabeshin**: "Anyways hop in the RV. I'll drive us back the house. You'll have to show me the way."

The gang heads back to the Masaki home. What crazy antics will unfold next!?


	11. A Well Needed Break

Chapter 11

(No this chapter will not be about bankruptcy although many of you won't get the joke. Anyways Tenchi Muyo, Vash the Stampede, Desert Punk also known as Kanta, and Nabeshin belong to their rightful owners while Morien belongs to me)

The light of dusk was all the remained as Nabeshin's black RV made its way out of the woods towards the Masaki home. As Nabeshin was about to pull up to the driveway he noticed two dueling individuals just outside the house.

**Nabeshin**: "Are you kidding me!? Another battle?"  
**Morien**: "Seriously? These people seem to be huge targets for turmoil!"

**Vash**: "Guys wait! Isn't that Ayeka and Ryoko?"

**Nabeshin**: "Say…it is! That's a rather big relief!"

**Morien**: "But what is this fight about?"

Nabeshin parked and the 3 men left the vehicle. All eyes were on the two women fighting on the deck.

**Ayeka**: "Listen demon woman! You need to start picking up after yourself! Stop leaving open sake bottles everywhere. The living room smells like wine all the time!"

**Ryoko**: "Well someone will pick it up."

**Ayeka**: "We are not your slaves! You live here like the rest of us so you contribute like the rest of us! And stop using your seductive methods around Lord Tenchi!"

**Ryoko**: "At least I can get a man faster than you can…flat chest"

**Ayeka**: "….THAT IS THE LAST STRAW!"

Before Ayeka had a chance to summon her power Morien shot his gun into the sky. This startled the girls.

**Morien**: "Ladies. I apologize for intruding on your argument but it would be prude if this didn't continue. I'd really appreciate if supper tonight was tranquil."

Morien, Vash, and Nabeshin walked passed Ryoko and Ayeka as they entered the house. The 2 girls stayed outside a little longer thinking about what just happened.

**Ryoko**: "You know I had noticed it but never really gave it thought until now. Morien's rather handsome."

**Ayeka**: "Well there you go. Leave me with Tenchi and go after him instead."  
**Ryoko**: "Not a chance in hell princess!"

**Ayeka**: "Enough! We'll continue this later. Just this once lets grant Morien his wish of a peaceful supper. After all we owe those 4 for defeating Kagato."

Inside the house the aroma of fresh seafood and miso soup filled the air. Sasami was putting the final touches on the evening meal. Morien, Vash, and Nabeshin waited in the living room.

**Morien**: "It's been a while since I've had Japanese food. I never thought I would have it right here in Japan."  
**Nabeshin**: "Of course here they just call it food."

**Vash**: "I wonder where Kanta is."

**Morien**: "Oh I almost forgot about him. I'll ask Tenchi."

**Kanta**: "Don't bother, Finger Paintings."

All 3 looked by the stairwell to see Kanta looking down at them. He was wrapped in several bandages on his head and chest but was able to walk.

**Nabeshin**: "Well if it isn't the hero!"

**Kanta**: "Just doing my job. Does anyone know where my payment went?"

**Morien**: "You mercenaries really do only think about money." (He said with a smile)

**Kanta**: "And women. Don't forget Morien you're one of us."

**Morien**: "Maybe from external appearance. The payment my father gave you is back at the makeshift shelter."

Ryoko and Ayeka came inside and joined the other 4 in the living room.

**Ayeka**: "Kanta! Shouldn't you be resting?"

**Kanta**: "Like I tell these 3 clowns I will worry about my own health. Let me be."

**Ayeka**: (landing a light slap on the back of Kanta's head) "That's no way to talk to a princess!"

**Kanta**: "Hey that hurt! I'm injured!"

(Ryoko laughed)

**Vash**: "Princess?"

**Ryoko**: "Well Ayeka should we tell our story to these outsiders?"

**Ayeka**: "I don't think it will compromise anything."

**Sasami**: (popping her head out of the kitchen) "Save it you guys. Supper's ready! Oh and I added a few sections to the table to accommodate for our guests."

The dining room table was decorated with an assortment of sushi rolls, soft shell crabs, other various crustaceans, two pots filled with miso soup, and hot sake while sitting on top of a blue and white checkered table top.

**Morien**: "This looks amazing Sasami. It's more professional than anything I've ever seen."

**Sasami**: "Thank you!"

**Ayeka**: "My sister is the best cook you will find around here."

**Vash**: "Where are all the chairs at?"

**Nabeshin**: "Dude, in Japanese culture they eat on their knees."

**Vash**: "Oh…just pretend I didn't ask that question"

**Ryoko**: "I haven't seen Washu in a while. Days now come to think of it."

**Sasami**: "She's been really busy with her lab work. Typical Washu. I just wrapped her meal and left it on the countertop so she can pick it up when she wants."

**Tenchi**: (Just walking into the dinning room) "Alright. Glad you four could make it. Are you sure you can sit Kanta?"

**Kanta**: "I'll manage."

**Tenchi**: "Great. Dig in everyone."

Minutes passed when Morien decided to start the conversation.

**Morien**: "Earlier you asked us if we were Juraians. What are they?"

**Ayeka**: "It's what Sasami, Tenchi, and myself are. Jurai is our home planet several hundred light years away from this galaxy."

**Morien**: "Looks like that debunks the theory that life doesn't exist anywhere else in the universe. How did you end up on Earth?"

**Ayeka**: "I left to search for Yosho who is Tenchi's grandfather. He did not want any part in taking the throne of Jurai. As we got closer to Earth we intercepted Ryoko who was a space pirate at the time. In an attempt to capture her I chased her down to this planet. Over time things fell into place and we now live peacefully under this roof."  
**Ryoko**: "Well we try. If you would just let me have my Tenchi."

**Ayeka**: "Grr…"

**Tenchi**: "Girls please. Not now."

Underneath the stairs was an orange-red closet door with a circular window in it. It opened up and a certain rather short woman with long spiky pink hair and green eyes walked out of it towards the kitchen unaware of the 4 guests in the house.

**Washu**: "This lab work is taking much longer than I thought. I wonder if Sasami left any food in the kitchen."

Washu walks into the kitchen finding a wrapped meal left just for her sitting on the counter. Sasami left a note on the wrapped dish reading "I made your favorite as usual. Enjoy and keep working hard. Oh if you aren't too busy maybe you could join us tonight. Haven't seen you in a while."

**Washu**: "Thanks kiddo but I really have to get back to work. At least I'll go say thank you."

Washu walked to the entrance to the dining room and was about to thank Sasami when she saw the 4 guests at the table conversing with Tenchi and the girls.

**Washu**: (Oh I didn't know we were having guests and….and who is that?)

She looked at Morien for a few seconds examining every part of him she could see from where she was standing. To his left she saw an open spot.

**Washu**: (On second thought I'll eat with them tonight. The darker cute guy seems interesting)

She walked the dining room catching the attention of Sasami.

**Sasami**: "Washu! You made it!"

**Ryoko**: "The freaking nerd finally decided to come out of hibernation!"

**Washu**: "Settle down now, Ryoko."

She took her place right next to Morien as he was engaged in a conversation with Ayeka still talking about Jurai and other planets as this information was new to Morien just now learning that Earth wasn't the only planet privileged to have life.

**Morien**: "This all seems like a science fiction novel. It was hard to believe that Vash here was from another world but now I've come to discover that the 3 of you (pointing to Ryoko, Ayeka, and Sasami) are also from a galaxy never discovered by us Earthlings."

**Washu**: "Actually make that 4 of us."

He turned and looked at Washu.

**Morien**: "Oh hello. Didn't see you covertly sit down. I'm Morien."  
**Washu**: "And I'm Washu. If I knew that we were having guests I wouldn't have stayed locked up in the laboratory all day."

**Tenchi**: "Well we know how busy you can get so we just let you work in peace."

**Washu**: "From now on just let me know ahead of time if other people are coming over" She said looking at Morien. (Especially when they look like this man) thinking to herself.

**Morien**: "You're the one who tended to Kanta's injuries then right?"

**Washu**: "Yes but I wouldn't go as far as to calling them injuries. More like small bruises. If I didn't know any better I would say he's a pansy."

**Kanta**: "I can hear you!"

**Tenchi**: "Washu! Come on now. You barely know him and you're putting him down."

**Kanta**: "It's fine Tenchi. I can take it."

**Washu**: "So are you all Tenchi's friends?"

**Nabeshin**: "Hehe…hasn't been that long."

**Morien**: "We've only know most of you for a few hours now."

**Washu**: "Oh, then where did you come from?"

**Morien**: "Kanta, Vash, Nabeshin, and myself do mercenary work. That's how I made that much money in case you two were still wondering. (Looking at Tenchi and Ryoko) We were en route from Singapore to a city in Eastern Russia when we got shot down by intercepting aircraft. We think it was the work of the terrorist group we were apprehending. By sheer luck getting shot down landed us here."

**Vash**: "Then when we thought the worst of it was over some man by the name of Kagato decided to show up and wreak havoc upon you guys."

**Washu**: "What?! Kagato!?"

**Tenchi**: "Oh great. I was really hoping this part of the story would be left out especially in front of Washu."

**Washu**: "You all knew and didn't tell me?!"

**Morien**: "What's the big deal?"  
**Washu**: "The big deal is that Kagato was a former student of mine! He imprisoned me on his ship for 5000 years! I was finally freed when Tenchi defeated him."

**Morien**: "5000 years!? Aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

**Washu**: "Umm…no. I mean literally 5000 years! I've lived a long time. I'm pushing just over 20,000 years old now." (Vash looked over at Morien remembering what he said about 20,000 year old women)

**Morien**: (Blank look on his face for a moment) "If you're really 20,000 years old how is it that you could pass for someone who's at least 20?"

**Washu**: "Because I'm the greatest scientific genius in the universe! You'll hear me say that a lot. Anyways how did you all defeat Kagato?"

**Morien**: "Nabeshin squared off with him for a few minutes. Then Ryoko joined him and I even tried to contribute but in the end it was Kanta who defeated him with what Ryoko calls a primitive weapon proving that it's still effective."

**Kanta**: "Your laser technology may be superior but it's almost impossible to halt a .50 caliber bullet once it leaves the barrel."

**Washu**: "Well then I take back my pansy comment since your injuries came from Kagato."

**Nabeshin**: "Well actually they came from the plane crash. He was in an RV with airbags in almost every wall."

**Washu**: "And my comment is reinstated."

**Kanta**: "Gee thanks Nabeshin ya jack-a… (Kanta refrained from swearing thinking that Ayeka may land another slap on him especially now that her younger sister, Sasami, was there). I'll get you later."

**Morien**: "Sounds kinky" (He said with a smirk)

**Kanta**: "You know what I meant!"

**Vash**: "It's okay Kanta. If there's anything you want to tell us that we don't know about…"

**Kanta**: "Ok. Why suddenly are your minds in the gutter?!"

**Morien**: "You're one to talk. How was it that you described Junko again?"

**Kanta**: "Touché"

**Washu**: "You guys are pretty entertaining. It's a nice break from the usual Ayeka/Ryoko bouts."

**Ayeka**: "Those are legitimate!"

**Ryoko**: "Since Tenchi belongs to me anyways I have to no choice but to give my 2 cents."

**Ayeka**: "You stay away from Lord Tenchi!"

**Ryoko**: "You won't win prissy princess. And speaking of two cents could I borrow some money Morien?"

**Tenchi**: "Ryoko, we talked about this."

**Morien**: "Borrow? I could just give it to you. No offense but you don't seem like the type who pays someone back."

**Ayeka**: "You have no idea."

**Ryoko**: "Stay out of this princess."

**Tenchi**: "Now wait a minute Morien. It's nice you want to help but we barely know you guys. It doesn't seem right to accept money from you."

**Morien**: "It really is okay Tenchi. Besides it seems we're going to be stuck here for the next few days. Heck it could be even longer so it would only be fair to help out in any way, shape, or form."

**Ryoko**: "Which means more sake for me" (She said with a smile)

**Washu**: "Is that all you think about, Ryoko?"

**Ayeka**: "That and sex" (with a low voice)

**Ryoko**: "What did you say!?"

**Ayeka**: "Oh nothing. It was the ceiling fan."

**Ryoko**: "Riiiight.'

**Morien**: "Do they always fight like this, Washu."

**Washu**: "Since the day they first came to Earth. Not a day goes by where my daughter and Ayeka don't have an argument."

**Morien**: "Ryoko is your daughter!?"

**Ryoko**: "Washu! If you tell him anything else he might have a nervous breakdown!"

**Morien**: "What a day this has turned out to be."

After an hour or two of conversations supper had ended. Kanta, Morien, Vash, and Nabeshin thanked Sasami for the meal and left the house for the shelter made out of the downed C-5 fuselage.

**Washu**: "How long did they say there were going to be around?"

**Sasami**: "I think a week at least. Something about staying put so the INSF wouldn't detect them."

**Washu**: "I would like to run a few tests on them…especially Morien."

**Ryoko**: "Good luck with that. I told them that you raped Kanta with your machines in there. (Laughing)

**Washu**: "I did no such thing!"

Back outside…

**Vash**: "How are we going to contact your father?"

**Morien**: "Washu did say she was the greatest scientist in the world or universe…something like that. She could probably help his communicate with him. I'll ask her tomorrow."

**Kanta**: "Just be careful. With the way she was eying you today you might become her next 'experiment'."

**Morien**: "Ryoko is her daughter so she probably has a husband or is at least dating someone."

**Nabeshin**: "I doubt that. She seems like a mad scientist. Most men fear those types of women."

**Morien**: "We need to focus on the task at hand here gentlemen. We're stuck here and the operation is still taking place in Vladivostok. If the INSF is physically enhancing human beings then we have a tough fight ahead. I still don't know how we would stop them. Everyone from ICE 493 is like me now. Still I haven't heard any reports of attacks."

**Kanta**: "It's only a matter of time. Here's what we'll do. In a few days I'll leave for Vladivostok. I know you're going to ask me how but remember who you're talking to. I'll scout the city and provide recon for you. If I really need assistance from any of you I will let you know.

**Morien**: "Playing the lone wolf I see. If that's what you want then by all means do it but the sooner the better. Anyways I'm going to set up my tent and call it a night. Later."

Morien, Vash, Kanta, and Nabeshin have to figure out soon how to stop a seemingly unstoppable force under control of a terrorist group. But within the next couple of days they will realize that help is a lot closer than they think.


	12. Pipe Bombs and Vigilantes

Chapter 12

(I do not own Tenchi Muyo, Trigun, Desert Punk, or Excel Saga. They belong to their rightful owners. Morien belongs to me)

Morning had come. The ground was damp from a light rain that had fallen the night before. The light from the sun was high enough to be noticed by the people sleeping outside indicating that the new day had arrived. Morien attempted to get up but the sounds of nature outside the tent left him in a half comatose state. The urge to get up and move came when he heard footsteps coming towards his tent along with an announcement.

**Nabeshin**: "Morien! Kanta's gone!"

**Morien**: "Mmphf..wha….oh…Washu probably ate him."

**Nabeshin**: "Say what?!"

**Morien**: "Took him. What I meant to say. Like to her lab again. It's morning. My cognitive abilities aren't up to par yet."

**Nabeshin**: "For a second I thought we were in the midst of cannibals."

**Morien**: "Did you tell Vash?"

**Nabeshin**: "No. Vash is doing some sort of weird gun training by balancing an egg on his revolver."

**Morien**: "Ok. Give me a few minutes. I'll see if Kanta left anything behind indicating where he might be."

Soon Morien was fully awake as he left to search the C-5. When he arrived he noticed that all of Kanta's guns and equipment were gone. He climbed to the upper level where Kanta slept and saw the bandages he wore in a heap on the floor. Walking into the lounge he saw an audio recorder on the table. Pressing the play button it said:

**Kanta**: "Hey bitches! If you found this recording I'm probably a good distance from you. Anyways here's the deal. I'm heading to the nearest city to do some mercenary work for cash. Only for a few days. Then I'll head to Vladivostok. Just stay put! Don't bother following me. When you see me again I should have all the information we need to put another deterrent on the INSF's plans. (End recording)"

**Morien**: "Nabeshin, this guy is ridiculous! Once again he's in no condition to really do anything and he's leaves to place himself in the line of fire for a measly wad of cash!"

**Nabeshin**: "That's why he's the demon of the desert?"

**Morien**: "Demon of the Desert? Did he tell you that? And this isn't a damn desert!"

**Nabeshin**: "Don't you watch the Desert Punk anime?"  
**Narrator**: "DO I NEED TO PUT A CAP IN YOUR ASS?!?!!"

**Nabeshin**: "Hey come on now! I have to keep the story interesting!"

**Narrator**: "…..fine…..!"

**Morien**: "Uh, Nabeshin why are you talking to the air?"

**Nabeshin**: "Oh it's nothing! Anyways, what are we doing about breakfast?"

**Morien**: "Seeing how there are several ponds here and we're lacking fishing poles I'm going to use my gun and kill whatever is swimming in the water."

**Nabeshin**: "Somehow I don't think the people back at the Masaki household will like that."

**Morien**: "The perk of being way out here is that no one will hear a thing. (He said loading his Desert Eagle). I'm going to need some bait."

He took out a rather long loaf of French bread from his supply bag then followed the trail the C-5 made when it crash landed until he came to the carrot field. From there he spotted a lake just at the foot of one of the many surrounding mountains and decided to try his luck there. Standing at the edge of the lake he took a piece off of the loaf and discarded it into the lake. Almost instantly a figure underwater was coming closer towards the floating bread. (What a massive fish) he said thinking to himself. Taking aim he unloaded 5 rounds into the water at the figure creating a very loud echo roaring in all directions around him. The figure then leaped out of the water. It was a woman with cyan hair and golden eyes which now stood inches from Morien's face with a very enraged look on her face.

**Morien**: "Ryoko!?"

**Ryoko**: "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

**Morien**: "…Fishing?"

**Ryoko**: "With a firearm!?"

**Morien**: "Well sure (chuckling nervously). I didn't want to take the time to find string for a makeshift fishing pole so I thought it would be a great idea to…wait a second why were you even down there?"

**Ryoko**: "I come here to meditate! When you agitated the water with that stupid bread my curiosity told me to check on it."

**Morien**: "Mediate? Ayeka says you do nothing but loaf all day."

**Ryoko**: "That prissy bitch is going to get what's coming to her! If you want breakfast Sasami is making some. Now leave this lake!"

Not inquiring any further Morien left heading back to the plane. After seeing it was vacated he figured that Nabeshin and Vash left for the Masaki home and headed that direction. Halfway to the house he spotted both of them heading back to the plane.

**Vash**: "Where were you? Sasami, once again, created a hearty meal for all of us. You really missed out."

**Nabeshin**: "By the way we heard those gunshots from the house. Well I knew they were so I had to tell them they were jets passing over."

**Morien**: "Thanks for the cover story but I was really starting to get tired of bread only for breakfast. I tried fishing but the only thing I caught was an angry space pirate."

**Vash**: "There's always lunch in a few hours."

Since Kanta had taken the sortie into his own hands and with nothing else to do Morien decided to clean and perform maintenance on his weapons and electronic equipment. He went into the tent to get some tools when he noticed a white covered bowl and plate with a red crab symbol on both of them. Inside of the bowl was part of the breakfast that Sasami had made. (Where did this come from?) he thought. (And they even left chopsticks!). After eating Morien began his work. Meanwhile Vash and Nabeshin sat where the plane's cargo bay door used to be pondering what the next move was.

**Nabeshin**: "It hasn't even been two days and I'm getting bored. There's nothing to do around here. Then again Tenchi hasn't asked us to do anything."

**Vash**: "What about the RV?"

**Nabeshin**: "What about it?"

**Vash**: "I'm trying to cure your boredom. The city of Okayama is not terribly far from here. We could check it out."

**Nabeshin**: "Yeah! We could go there and be vigilantes!"

**Vash**: "That's not the direction I was aiming at but I suppose it's better than sitting around here. If they need any help, like with farm work for instance, Morien is right here. He is dark skinned after all!"

**Nabeshin**: "VASH! That's racist! According to the Trigun DVD you're supposed to be a kind hearted individual!"

**Narrator**: "Normally I would stop Nabeshin from saying something like that but he's right Vash the Stampede!"

**Vash**: "Who are you!?"

**Narrator**: "I'm the narrator! I'm the one telling this story. A little racism is fine by me but try to remember your character. You're a protagonist!"

**Vash**: "Sorry it's just that I'm not on Gunsmoke anymore. I thought I would break away from my normal routine. And you said a little racism is alright?"

**Narrator**: "Don't push it! Just head to that damn city!"

**Nabeshin**: "Before he starts raining grand pianos from the sky we better get moving."

After my attempt to reconcile Vash from his short but newfound racist ways, they both head to the city of Okayama which is just on the other side of the mountain where the Masaki household is located. As they reached the city the first observation they noted was that all of the cars were the size of golf carts. With the RV sticking out like a sore thumb it turned many heads. Corners were difficult to turn on due to the size of the lane which was created for small vehicles. It was comparable to a freight train riding on a sidewalk. A frustrated Nabeshin kept his road rage down until he was able to find a place to park his beast of an RV. They left the vehicle and consolidated themselves into the large crowd of pedestrians going about their day. Most of the buildings on each block were white or brown and not very tall. The sound of people talking on their phones combined with passing trains and the occasional jet flying over filled the city as it echoed off the buildings which then amplified the sound.

**Vash**: "This place isn't comparable to Singapore but it's still better than Libya."

**Nabeshin**: "Coming to the city was your idea. What do we do now?"

**Vash**: "Morien did say he wanted us to help out as much as possible. Say since Sasami buys most of the groceries in this city why don't we go ahead and do that for her?"

**Nabeshin**: "No wait, I have a better idea. We should buy an outdoor grill. I think Morien would like that so then he could create some German cuisine for the people back at Tenchi's place."  
**Vash**: "I suppose we could do that but where would we go about buying German cuisine?"

**Nabeshin**: "There's bound to be a European grocery mart around here."

After a few hours of searching they find everything they need and get ready to head back when the crowds of people come to a stop. All eyes were pointing in a direction that sparked curiosity in Nabeshin and Vash.

**Nabeshin**: "For thousands of people to suddenly stop something must be going down."

**Vash**: "The vigilante thing you talked about earlier. How serious were you about that?"

**Nabeshin**: "It's not like I was going to make that primary task but if an opportunity arose where we could lend our fighting skills then by all means that's what we're going to do."

Gunshots suddenly went off sending the frightened crowd running creating a gap for Nabeshin and Vash to make their way to the source of everyone's attention. They came to a line of police cars with lights flashing as the police had their guns drawn aiming towards a bank.

**Nabeshin**: "A bank robbery? I was informed that Japan had a rather low crime rate."

**Vash**: "Nonetheless we have a situation unfolding here. Stay focused and don't take any lives."

A police officer notices Nabeshin and Vash walking towards the crime scene.

**Officer**: "Gentleman! Stay back! Can't you see this is a crime scene!?"

**Nabeshin**: "Just call us the cure!"

**Officer**: "…."

Inside the bank a yellow urban assault vehicle had forced its way through the bank walls making the robbery itself easier for the men carrying it out. Only a few hostages could be seen as they were kept in place by armed men with dark gray bulletproof vests wearing clown face paint. As Vash walked closer to the bank two of the robbers noticed him and with guns trained on him they slowly walked to gap in the bank wall and stopped.

**Robber**: "Stop faggot!"

**Vash**: "That's a rather offensive term don't you think? I find it amusing that the one dressed like a clown is calling me that."

**Robber**: "Are you playing games with us dickhead? What are you anyways, undercover fuzz?"

**Vash**: "I was just passing through. I thought I was taking a shortcut and I ended up here. Just my luck."

**Robber**: "That will be the last mistake you ever make. Get your ass in here and join the rest of these hostages."  
**Vash**: "Thanks but I'll pass. It's dark and dusty in there and I'm afraid of dark places."

**Robber**: "Enough of your shit! Get in here or you lose your face! Your choice!"

**Vash**: "I think I will go with the 3rd option."

**Robber**: "I didn't give ya a third option!"

**Vash**: "No but he did."

**Robber**: "Huh!?"

Nabeshin burst through an unbroken window in the bank with an RPD and opened fire. In a few short seconds all robbers on the bank floor were on the ground. The ones inside the yellow armored vehicle surrendered.

**Vash**: "Nabeshin! I said not to kill anyone!"

**Nabeshin**: "Relax! I shot their armor which was enough to knock the wind out of them. They'll all survive."

The police rushed in and placed all robbers in cuffs. The press soon arrived but before they could interview Vash and Nabeshin they ran, with their superhuman strength, away from the crime scene. Miles outside of Okayama, heading back to the Masaki household, the black RV drove on a road running through dense forest.

**Vash**: "I think we found a purpose at least until Kanta gets back."

**Nabeshin**: "We can't be out here all the time. That would bring too much attention towards us which could lead the press back to the alien women at Tenchi's place."

**Vash**: "Then I'll move to Okayama."

**Nabeshin**: "And live where? You don't have any money."

**Vash**: "I'll just ask around. There's always someone willing to help me out. Its one thing I've always been good at finding. Give it a few days and I'll make my decision."

Morien finished working on the equipment then walked out of the woods to the Masaki home. On the deck he saw Sasami walking with a fishing pole. After finding a spot over the water she sat down on the deck and dropped the line. He went over to talk to her. As Sasami heard his footsteps she turned and looked over.

**Sasami**: "Oh hey Mr...what is your last name?"

**Morien**: "It's Eeham but you can call me Morien if you want. It doesn't really matter to me."

**Sasami**: "That's quite alright. Ayeka always wants me to be polite."  
**Morien**: "In Germany, where I'm from, we are rather liberal. The students call the professors by their first names."

**Sasami**: "Really? Morien it is then. (With a smile)"

**Morien**: "Are you fishing for lunch?"

**Sasami**: "Actually I'm just fishing to try to bring something additional to supper tonight. Ayeka is making our lunch right now. She's the one who taught me how to cook."

**Morien**: "No surprise there. I'm looking forward to another great meal."

A few minutes pass.

**Morien**: "You know this is kind of boring. I have something here that could speed up the process."

Morien pulls out from his supply bag a foot long pipe with a wick sticking out of one end.

**Sasami**: "What's that?"

**Morien**: "It's a pipe bomb."

**Sasami**: "What does it do?"

**Morien**: "Umm…it makes the fish want to come to the surface. If you do it right they practically fly right out of the water for you to catch."

**Sasami**: "That seems like it would be cheating."

**Morien**: "Is this not private property? I don't think a game warden is going to arrest us for blast…I mean speed fishing."

**Sasami**: "I suppose but still something doesn't seem quite right."

**Morien**: "Great! Oh you might want to stand back."

**Sasami**: "Wait why? Is this a weapon?"

**Morien**: "Where's your sense of fun? Anyways fire in the hole!"

**Sasami**: "Morien!"

Sasami ran back several feet as Morien threw the lit pipe bomb into the water. It sank below the surface and 15 seconds later a massive plume of water rose out of the pond. The water came down splashing on the deck like small tidal wave. When the water cleared fish could be seen on the deck flopping up and down gasping for air.

**Ayeka**: (After running outside following the boom) What on Earth is going on out here!? Why is the deck all wet and where did all these fish come from?!"

**Morien**: "I was simply showing Sasami how to speed fish. I think I demonstrated that rather well don't you think?"

**Ayeka**: "I don't know what crazy antics your up to but be careful around my sister!"

With that Ayeka went back inside.

**Sasami**: "Considering how protective she is of me I'm surprised that didn't turn out worse."

**Morien**: "It's because I still give off that guest feeling but that will soon fade."

**Sasami**: "We better go gather up the fish."

**Morien**: "And quickly too. It looks like a storm is coming."

A series of dark clouds from the west approached and soon blocked out the noon sun. Thunder could be heard in the distance. Nabeshin and Vash soon arrived from Okayama and joined everyone else in the Masaki home to enjoy the meal Ayeka was preparing.


	13. An Unexpected Romance

**Chapter 13**

**(I do not own Tenchi Muyo, Trigun, Desert Punk, or Excel Saga. Please support the official characters. Morien belongs to me. In the slight chance that you want to use him in your own story just ask and I'll most likely say yes)**

The second the last person entering the Masaki home closed the front door, the rain from the approaching storm had begun to fall. It was a rather torrential downpour of water, unusual for Japan. The sound of large raindrops could be heard throughout the house as they hit the windows. As Ayeka was preparing the table everyone else was in the living room. Nabeshin and Vash brought with them into the house a few things they purchased in Okayama.

**Nabeshin**: "First things first everybody. Ryoko, I know you've been asking for this for a little while so here you go." (He pulls out several sake bottles from a brown paper bag)

**Ryoko**: "Really!? I thought you would have disregarded me asking for this. Thanks!"

**Vash**: "And as for you Sasami, Nabeshin and myself took the liberty of buying most of the groceries for you today so you wouldn't have to and by looking at the storm outside I think it was a great idea to get a head start."

**Sasami**: "Oh thank you! You didn't have to do this. Now I feel bad that you went through all this trouble."

**Vash**: "Trouble? Nonsense. Just think of it as our way of saying thank you for letting us stick around."

**Tenchi**: "Once again we really appreciate you guys helping out like this."

Morien stood by the window looking out at the storm outside. Although it had been months he still could not get over his transformation. He wondered if he would ever get used to it. A bolt of lighting flashed out in the distance. It reminded him of the strobe lights at the show he attended back during Oktoberfest which was also fresh in his mind. Being a huge music aficionado, concerts were something he treasured. The following sound of thunder reminded him of the explosions and gunshots he endured thus far. He knew it was only the beginning. Vash walks over to Morien.

**Vash**: "Morien, where's Kanta?"

**Morien**: (Turning his head towards Vash and the others) "The tape he left behind said was heading towards the nearest city so he can make some additional money doing what he does best."

**Vash**: "Okayama? We just came from there. If I had known he headed that way we would have looked for him."

**Morien**: "He doesn't want to be found right now. The whole mercenary mentality thing. He'll be fine."

**Vash**: "Did he say how long?"  
**Morien**: "A few days but knowing him the asshole may never come back (He said with a slight chuckle)

**Vash**: "You sound just like him now in both your words and attitude"

**Morien**: "Seriously? Great, that's not what I needed to hear."

**Vash**: "I'm not saying it's bad. Truth be told you're more amusing that way."

**Morien**: "If I'm truly becoming more like him then I've basically thrown away my chance of ever finding someone to settle down with."

**Vash**: "Like Washu? She could not take her eyes off you last night."

**Morien**: "Okay…enough with Washu!"

**Vash**: "What's wrong with her? Granted she seems a bit maniacal but a petite super genius, not to mention the beauty is an added bonus, seems right for someone like you."

**Morien**: "She's over 20,000 years old! She'll outlast me a billion times over!"

**Vash**: "I'm sure she can fix that." (He said with a smile)

Ryoko overheard the conversation between Vash and Morien.

**Ryoko**: "Excuse me but why are you two talking about Washu?"

All eyes in the living room were on Morien and Vash.

**Vash**: "All you champ." (He left Morien by the window)

**Morien**: "Thank for putting me on the spot like this!"

Vash just gave him a thumbs-up.

Before Morien could give an explanation the house started to shake. With each passing second the shaking grew worse and worse. A panicking Ayeka ran from the kitchen to the living room.

**Ayeka**: "MIHOSHI AND KIYONE ARE BACK! SHE'S GOING TO HIT THE HOUSE AGAIN FOR SURE! RUN FOR COVER!"

Before any of the newcomers had a chance to ask about the situation a big splash was heard outside the house. A giant wall of water erupted hitting part of the house but no damage was received. Morien ran outside on the deck to see a blonde woman and a dark blue-haired woman in what seemed to be officer outfits way ahead of their time. With both women soaking wet the blue-haired woman was yelling profanity at the blonde woman who just sat there crying and apologizing. Morien just stood gazing with that signature anime sweat drop on the back of his head. He walked back inside.

**Morien**: "I'm just going to stay out of this one."

**Ryoko**: "Amazingly enough she didn't crash her space cruiser into the house. I have to give her props for that. Especially on a rainy day like this."

**Ayeka**: "That could have turned out much worse. Anyways lunch is ready so everyone sit down. And demon-woman, Tenchi sits by me this time."

**Ryoko**: "Who are you to tell me?" (She flies behind Tenchi and puts her arms around his neck) "Tenchi wants to sit by me, right honey?"

**Tenchi**: "R-Ryoko, it really doesn't matter which one of you does. I'll just sit between you two. Can we please make an agreement here so we can have a nice lunch?"

Ayeka was about to make a reprisal towards Ryoko when she noticed Morien looking right at her with arms crossed and an emotionless face. Ryoko, wondering what Ayeka was staring at, looked over to see Morien. He then turned to her with the same look.

**Ryoko and Ayeka**: "Uuuugh…yes Tenchi."

**Ayeka**: "Please, everybody take your places at the table. I'll try to diffuse Kiyone and get both of them into the house."

On the table were several bowls of salad, carrot dressing, and teriyaki chicken completed by iced green tea. Everyone took their places waiting for Ayeka, Mihoshi, and Kiyone to dry-off and take their places. Minutes later all 3 walking in to the dinning room. Ayeka sat down next to Tenchi with Ryoko on the other side. Kiyone, still upset about the crash landing performed by Mihoshi, walked in totally oblivious to Vash, Morien, and Nabeshin. On the other hand, Mihoshi walked in and immediately took note of the 3 guests sitting down.

**Mihoshi**: "Oh hi! I'm Mihoshi (she said with a friendly smile). Are you three teachers at Tenchi's school?"

**Nabeshin**: "She just called us old you guys."

**Mihoshi**: "No-no-no! (Now with worried look). It's just that you 3 look very formal. Too formal to be Tenchi's friends."

**Tenchi**: "And now she's mocking my friends" (He said with a laugh)

**Kiyone**: "Mihoshi, maybe it's best if you didn't say anything."

**Morien**: "It's okay miss. I find her comical." (Why does Mihoshi remind me of Sabena?)

**Kiyone**: "I'm sorry for not introducing myself…I'm Kiyone. Who are you guys?"

Half an hour went by as Morien, Vash, and Nabeshin retold the story.

**Kiyone**: "Mercenaries? That's an illicit activity! The galaxy police hunts down people like you."

**Vash**: "You don't understand. We don't know the intentions of INSF but if they are not stopped it could have catastrophic ramifications on this planet."

**Kiyone**: "That's why we're here. As galaxy police officers Mihoshi and I were assigned to this sector of the Milky Way galaxy. Leave the terrorist group to us."

**Tenchi**: "Kiyone, maybe you should allow for these 3 to continue what they started. They did defeat Kagato."

**Kiyone**: "Yes Tenchi but taking the law into your own hands violates the law."

**Mihoshi**: "I'm sorry you guys but she's really serious about her career."

**Kiyone**: "Of course I am! I'm a police officer. You 3 are not to take your priorities any further. End of discussion."

Morien just looked at Vash and Nabeshin with a smug look on his face indicating to the other two that they were to disregard everything Kiyone just told them.

**Morien**: "As you wish."

**Kiyone**: "Really? I expected more resistance from you. Anyways you said you were also a professor? Your stature indicates more of a military background."

**Morien**: "You can thank my father for that."

Soon lunch was over and everyone went their own way for a little bit. Meanwhile inside the orange door under the stairwell was the laboratory of the super genius Washu. The lab was located in a subspace dimension nowhere near Earth. It extended in all directions perpetually. The lighting of holographic colored grids provided the majority of the light source. Also inside the lab was vegetation growing and a series of massive glass tubes that housed marine animals not found on Earth. Of course the lab would not be complete with Washu's tools and equipment that she uses to experiment on all the members of the Masaki house. They would describe it more like a torture chamber but Washu always insists its for scientific research. Ryo-oh-ki was resting on one of the plant beds close to where Washu was using her transparent laptop. Instead of doing research she was using what she gathered from Morien, Vash, and Nabeshin to find background information on the INSF which she was naturally curious about. Because it was a cinch to gather information from any Earthly computer she came up with results in seconds. Report after report flowed onto her laptop revealing the activities INSF was involved with or suspected to be. It puzzled her that a terrorist group based out of a first world country would still be allowed to continue operations. She then came across the most recent plans of the INSF. Just as Morien said the INSF was in the process of changing normal human beings into super beings. What Morien and the others did not know is that after they gathered enough super soldiers, they planned to attack first in Turkey. Where in Turkey was not specified. (This was too easy) She said to herself. (What would have taken them days or weeks to figure out took me just minutes. But I am the greatest scie…maybe I shouldn't be so pretentious) Washu paused for a moment. (To hell with that! It never gets old!)

Back in the living room everyone gathered. Tenchi and the girls took the couch while Morien, Vash, and Nabeshin sat on the floor.

**Nabeshin**: "What do you guys normally do on days like this?"

**Tenchi**: "Days like this aren't normal. I've never seen rainfall like this. At least it gives us a break from outside chores."

**Ryoko**: "It gives us a chance to stay together (putting her arms around Tenchi but was swatted away by Ayeka)

**Sasami**: "We're open for ideas if you have any."

**Morien**: "Well I did happen to bring along a video game system if you guys are into games."

**Sasami**: "We have a video game system here but what do you have?"

**Morien**: "A YBOX 361"

**Sasami**: "Oh. I've never played on a new system before. I guess we could try that. What do you think Tenchi?"

**Tenchi**: "Sure. I haven't had a go at video games for a long time."

**Morien**: (Setting up the cables behind the television) "If you guys look in my black bag you'll see the games I have. You can pick which one you want to play first."

**Sasami**: "Let's see here…Call to Arms: Modern Altercation II, Interstate Fighter IV, Pistons of War 2, Super Smash Siblings: Brawl…I like the sound of Super Smash Siblings."

**Tenchi**: "What kind of game is it?"  
**Morien**: "Platform fighting. You try to reduce the other player's weight by hitting them. When they are light enough you hit them off the level while you yourself try to survive."

**Ryoko**: "Sounds like my type of game. I'm in."

Many hundreds of miles away in Vladivostok Dmitri, accompanied by 4 other Spetsnaz operatives, drove a black sedan around a large building resembling an indoor grand concert arena. Wearing white lab coats the men vacated the car and walked into the gate. After a brief security check they were granted access to the inside. On the inside they noticed guards were at every corner of maze-like interior. They quickly whispered to each other the plan and proceeded to a restricted area. After another security check they were allowed inside. This was the laboratory they were looking for. A bright blue light illuminated the interior as it revealed the large tube like containers for holding people stacked one on top of the other and in many rows. There was just one problem. All of them were empty. High above them was a catwalk connecting both walls. A man in a suit walked on it and looked down on them.

**Man**: "Gentlemen. I apologize but what you are looking for has already departed."

**Dmitri**: "Where are you taking them?"

**Man**: "Why would I tell a Spetsnaz officer?"

**Dmitri**: "You expected us then?"

**Man**: "I could hear you from miles away. It's a first world country against a third world country! We have the upper hand."

Soon guards began to pour in from the lab door.

**Dmitri**: "Upper hand you say? There are about 20 guards here and 5 of us. That makes it unfair to you."

**Man**: "Whatever do you mean? All I hear is the voice of a man who will soon join the rest of his fallen comrades."

**Dmitri**: "The predator is about to become the prey. Knives, give them a show!"

The brother of Vash the Stampede had also come to Earth but for different reasons than Vash. Knives left planet Gunsmoke shortly after Vash left. His spacecraft landed in the Baltic Sea where it was picked up by a Russian oil tanker. They reported it to Russian officials but it was kept under wraps even from the Russian Government by Dmitri when he intercepted the report. When Dmitri discovered that Knives had pinpoint accuracy with firearms he offered him a spot on his force with great pay. Knives accepted with alacrity. Back in the lab Knives quickly defused the situation and Dmitri ran up to the downed man on the catwalk who was now missing both his kneecaps.

**Dmitri**: "Funny. Now I'm the one looking down on you. You already know what I am going to ask so why don't you just give me the answer."

**Man:** "Despite the excruciating pain I have succumb to I will tell you nothing."

**Dmitri**: "Why don't I help that along."

Dmitri pulled out a small vial of a vinegar and salt mixture and poured it onto the man's bleeding knees. He let out a scream that could shatter glass as it echoed throughout the laboratory.

**Man**: "OKAY OKAY. ISTANBUL!!! ISTANBUL IS WHERE THEYARE GOING!!!"

**Dmitri**: "Was that so hard? Anyways say hello to your fallen comrades for me."

Dmitri tied the man to a post so he couldn't move his arms. Then he placed a timed explosive device between his legs, set it, and left. After all explosives were placed all 5 men walked out. Outside the building the guards were completely clueless as to what happened inside. Dmitri and the rest of his comrades walked out not realizing their lab coats had blood stains on them. The guards at the gate spotted them but before they could pull out their weapons Knives sent them to meet their maker. Discarding their coats in a nearby dumpster they all regrouped back in the black sedan and drove away. Dmitri looked in the rear view mirror to see the dome of the large building suddenly propel itself upwards as a fireball erupted from the roof leveling the building. Dmitri drove towards the harbor as a multitude of patrol cars and fire trucks raced towards the demolished lab. The black sedan was soon covered by the walls of a ferry. Soon it left the harbor and was on its way southbound towards Japan.

After hours of game play, Sasami left the group to make dinner. It was late in the evening. Video games kept everyone distracted from the passing time. The rain outside had kept its firm hold over the Masaki household as it continued to pour. The water level of the pond just outside the house was mere feet from spilling on to the deck. Sasami kept supper small and simple as everyone was tired. Soon it was over and everyone headed off to sleep.

**Sasami**: "Now where will you 3 sleep? Not outside I hope."

**Nabeshin**: "The RV is just outside and it has two bunks. I'll take one and Vash gets the other."

**Sasami**: "What about Morien?"

**Morien**: "Don't worry about me Sasami. I've sleep in the rain before. I hope that tent is still holding up."

**Sasami**: "I wish we had more room. You really shouldn't sleep outside, Morien!"

**Tenchi**: "Are you sure you want to do that?"

**Morien**: "Yeah, I'll be alright. A little water never hurt anyone. I'm going to try to contact my father on my laptop then head out. You two take care. And as for you, Vash and Nabeshin…I hate both of you."

Vash and Nabeshin just laughed as they left for the RV. Morien sat in the kitchen on his computer. Kanta had shown Morien how to track the Spetsnaz activity online. He looked for his father's name. It came up and read: Engaged facility in Vladivostok, Russia. Outcome: Unknown. Deep down Morien knew his father was alright and packed his computer in his bag. He entered the living room from the kitchen to see Mihoshi and Kiyone already snoring on the couch bed. Quietly he walked towards the front door and as he put his hand on the knob a voice stopped him.

**Washu**: "You're not really going out to sleep in a deluge are you?"

**Morien**: (Turns around surprised to see Washu) "Umm, yes I was planning on it as a matter of fact."

**Washu**: (Shaking her head)

**Morien**: "There aren't any other places to sleep."

Washu walks to Morien, grabs him by his left arm, and pulls him towards her lab.

**Washu**: "Come, I have a place where you can stay."

Washu takes Morien into her lab. Morien stops and takes in everything.

**Morien**: "How does this fit underneath the stairs?"

**Washu**: "We're in a subspace dimension. This is my laboratory or my other home. The others normally dread coming in here."

**Morien**: "Why is that?"

Rather than explaining Washu grinned at him with sharp pointed teeth which worried Morien slightly. She walked to a computer, pressing a button. A set of robotic arms came out from the floor along with a hospital bed. They attempted to hold Morien in place but his speed kicked in and he dodged them instantly.

**Morien**: "Washu! What is this?"

**Washu**: "Oh come on! I just wanted to run some tests on you."

**Morien**: "Just tests? Nothing more? Like dismembering my limbs?"

**Washu**: "There are certain people I would like to do that to but you aren't one of them. This won't hurt a bit. I promise."

Morien reluctantly gave in as he placed himself on the platform. The mechanical arms held him in place as the entire platform went vertical. Another mechanical arm grabbed a hold of Morien's shirt ripping it off with one pull.

**Morien**: "Hey! That was my Sevendust shirt!!"

**Washu**: "I'll just make a copy of it…sheesh. You forget you are in the presence of a genius."

**Morien**: "…."

A set of probes came down and attached themselves to Morien's chest and shoulders. A device resembling a crown with lightbulbs sticking out of it came down and set itself on Morien's head. The image of being held down in Germany came back to his mind but since it was just one woman instead of hundreds of people he remained calm.

**Washu**: "You're quiet over there. Tell me about yourself."

**Morien**: "You're looking at it."

**Washu**: "Your life can't be that dull and bland. Not after everything you've gone through. Where are you from?"

**Morien**: "Germany. Hamburg, Germany."

**Washu**: "I've studied the people of Earth and you do not look like you are native to Germany."

**Morien**: "I guess there's no fooling you. I was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. My father is Russian and my mother is Puerto Rican."

**Washu**: "Quite a combination. How did they meet?"

**Morien**: "When my mother was in college in the United States she enrolled in a study aboard program. She really wanted to study in Italy but all seats were taken leaving only Russia available. She went to school in Moscow where she met my father by missing the bus to class. Things fell into place and they got married after she completed school. Not long afterwards my father joined the Russian military and also jointly worked for Spetsnaz. He was always gone for long periods of time but my mother is one of the most patient people on Earth. I'm still surprised they've been married for this long. I wish all women were like that."

Washu looked up at Morien giving him a "Gee thanks a lot" type of look. She then looked at his left arm noticing it was completely covered in a sleeve of tattoos.

**Washu**: "Tell me about your tattoo collection" as she continued to type the results into her computer.

**Morien**: "Oh these? I blame the genre of music I listen to. Heavy music and tattoos go hand in hand. My mother always had 80's metal blasting in the house. The metal gene, so-to-speak, was passed on down to me I guess. You know I never did ask. What exactly are you looking for?"

**Washu**: "I want to know more about what this gas did to your body. I've never heard of it. Perhaps Earthlings aren't as simple as I thought. Just sit tight for a few more minutes. I almost have all the data I need."

**Morien**: (Changing topic)"So Ryoko is your daughter then?"

**Washu**: "That's right."

**Morien**: "And her father is?"

**Washu**: "She doesn't have one. I created her in a laboratory after my husband left me with my child. (She stopped typing for a second as she remembered that fateful day). But that was thousands of years ago. (She continued typing) I used to want to remain solitary for the remainder of my life but after this long period of time things have changed."

**Morien**: "I understand."

Soon Washu had all the information she needed.

**Washu**: "Your DNA has been altered to accommodate the change. Your aging has also been retarded by a very high percentage. You could probably outlive a Juraian now."

**Morien**: "What!? Over 9000 years?! I'm not sure what to think. Now I'm going to surpass all my friends age-wise by a huge margin. Not to mention where am I going to find a woman who lives just as long as….." (He looks down at Washu. Washu smiles back at him) Uhh, oh boy."

**Washu**: "There's nothing to fear, Morien."

Washu set Morien back down on ground level. She went to another machine and pulled out an exact copy of the shirt she took off Morien.

**Washu**: "Here's your shirt back. I'll show you where you're sleeping tonight."

She led Morien away from all the lights in her lab to a small room with photos of all the crazy antics involving Tenchi and the girls on the walls. The bed was a twin size with a black blanket and green pillows.

**Morien**: "I can't help but think that this is your room."

**Washu**: "You sure learn fast"

**Morien**: "And this is where you want me to sleep"

**Washu**: "Uh-huh."

**Morien**: "Are you sure about this? I'm going to take up a lot of space on this thing."

**Washu**: "With your mass of flesh and my petite stature I think we can compromise."

**Morien**: "Okay then. Thanks for not letting me sleep outside."

**Washu**: "Of course. I'm going to go finish some lab work and then I'll come join you. You can sleep if you want but I prefer if you stay awake a bit longer."

**Morien**: "We'll see what happens."

Washu left to finish copying the information she got from Morien's transformation to keep on record. As soon as she finished she walked back to her room to see Morien facing the wall on the opposite side of the room. She changed into her own sleep attire then got under the covers thinking Morien was asleep.

**Morien**: "Hey you." (in a low tone)

Washu smiled as Morien turned and faced her. She put her arms around his neck as they both embraced each other and drifted off to sleep.


	14. Home Field Advantage

**Chapter 14**

**(Tenchi Muyo/Universe characters belong to Hitoshi Okuda while Trigun, Desert Punk, and Excel Saga belong to their rightful owners. Morien belongs to me. Please support the official releases)**

The sky finally let off the rain around 3am. Everyone was still asleep except for one soul. Vash the Stampede stood outside the black RV parked in the Masaki driveway looking Northwest towards Vladivostok. He could sense him. His brother Knives was approaching Japan with Morien's father Dmitri. Being "power plants" in human form, both Vash and Knives could detect each other's energy from great distances. Vash did not know what to make of his brother being on Earth but he was curious so he packed a small bag and walked away towards the western coast of Japan.

Inside Washu's laboratory the sounds of beeping machines created a hypnotizing white noise that was ambient enough to allow anyone to sleep but Morien had woken up. He walked to a large glass wall that was holding back millions of gallons of water. Inside he could make out several species of sea creatures of various sizes that were not found anywhere in this solar system. The lights in lab along with the space age looking equipment fascinated him so he gave himself a tour gazing in all directions seeing lines upon lines of computer equipment always seeming to gather data from some other part of the galaxy or another galaxy all together. Thinking to himself he wondered how one person was able to create such a marvel of a workspace let alone a lab that wasn't even in the Earth's dimension. As he walked he came upon a large circular computer that created a holographic map of the galaxy. The map revealed the location of the Galaxy Police headquarters and planet Jurai along with its sister planets. Morien heard the sound of footsteps coming from behind him but did not turn around for he already knew who it was. Still in her sleepwear Washu stood next to Morien gazing at the map.

**Washu**: "A little insomnia taking over?"

**Morien**: "If only it was. It's hard to sleep knowing you're going into battle very soon."

**Washu**: "We can assist you. Ryoko is a powerhouse and Ayeka is no pushover either."

**Morien**: "Thanks but this isn't your battle. There could be thousands of men and women just like me. If that's the case I don't see how we can even win."

**Washu**: "Giving up so soon are you? And by the way that gas only affects the male gene according to my research."

**Morien**: "It does? If that's the case then the number of super soldiers that Kanta predicted should be a lot less. I wonder where he is?"  
**Washu**: "He's on his way back here. I told him about your father's sortie in Russia."

**Morien** "Wait, how did…nevermind…the genius thing."

**Washu**: "I prefer greatest scientific genius in the universe!"  
**Morien**: "Sort of a random question but can you see into a person's mind?"  
**Washu**: "Yes I can. I have the memories of everyone who lives here stored in my computers. Want to take a peek into our past so you can better understand us?"

**Morien**: "I guess. Is this not an invasion of privacy?"

**Washu**: "Do I come off to you as someone who abides by the rules?"

**Morien**: "Fair enough"

For the next hour Morien and Washu watched on a large screen most of the events that everyone living under the Masaki roof had partaken in from the first battle with Kagato, Tenchi going to school in Tokyo, Sakuya almost tearing the gang apart, all the times Ryoko and Ayeka fought over Tenchi, and everything that happened in the Tenchi mangas for those of you, the readers, who have read them. After it was over Morien had some questions.

**Morien**: "So the reason you have all stuck together was because of Tenchi?"

**Washu**: "Basically. The kindness he has shown all of us has bonded all of us."

**Morien**: "I also noticed that you look way younger in that memory footage. Does this mean you can control what you look like?"

**Washu**: "Again you are correct. I used only keep two forms, one that made look as if I was around 12 and the other my true adult form but recently I've taken up this form where, as you pointed out, I look more like a young adult."

**Morien**: "Do you like Tenchi like everyone else does?"

**Washu**: "I am very fond of him but I never saw myself falling in love with him unlike everyone else except Kiyone who only really focuses on her work although she still appreciates him letting her stay in the home. Mihoshi is a bit intimidated by him as she won't really make any moves. It seems the only competition for Tenchi is between Ryoko and Ayeka."

**Morien**: "Well after watching the trip down memory lane, seeing everything that has happened in those near death experiences, I think it's obvious who Tenchi should choose."

**Washu**: "I know who you're going to say and I agree with you completely not because I'm biased since I'm her mother but they've shared way more experiences with each other. Secretly he shows more interest in her than any of the other girls but he's afraid to speak his mind because he doesn't want to split this family so-to-speak apart."

**Morien**: "That's a bit selfish don't you think?"

**Washu**: "Not really anything I can do. Maybe you can talk some sense into him…have a man to man conversation (with a chuckle)."

**Morien**: "I'm not sure I want to step into his business."

An alarm went off in Washu's lab. She ran over to her computer to check the situation.

**Washu**: "There are these…beings outside the house with a high energy reading."

**Morien**: "How do I get out of here? I'll go see who or what they are."

As Morien left the lab he abruptly stopped. He felt his own energy suddenly spike as he detected a small group of super enhanced soldiers who in turn detected his energy. After the INSF shot down Nabeshin's C-5 they sent a small group of soldiers towards Japan once their experimentation was complete in Vladivostok make sure there were no survivors. The super soldiers looked exactly like any normal military personnel with camouflaged jackets and pants. The difference was that transparent pipes with glowing blue fluid attached themselves from their chests running under their underarm region and connecting to the central part of their upper backs. Finally finding the crash site they followed the trail in the woods to the Masaki home. As they walked closer one of the soldiers shot out an energy blast hitting Nabeshin's RV causing it to explode. Nabeshin, however, was not in the vehicle but instead had snuck into the house when everyone else was asleep and placed himself between Mihoshi and Kiyone on the sleeper sofa. Everyone had woken to the sound of the explosion. Kiyone looked at Nabeshin sitting up next to her and gave him an elbow followed by a massive punch sending him through the front door as he landed inverted barely hanging over the deck. From his upside down position he saw the INSF soldiers approaching then he looked over at the remains of his RV.

**Nabeshin**: "My RV" (He said with tears in his eyes) "NOO! I've known it all my life even though technically it's been just under a year! Still that doesn't change the fact that something I love has been taken from me. You bastards are going to pay!"

With that Nabeshin transformed into super Nabeshin resembling a super saiyan (Again watch the last few episodes of Excel Saga). His entire body was surrounded by a bright golden light which illuminated the front of the house. Mihoshi and Kiyone quickly ran out in their Galaxy Police uniforms with guns in hand. Kiyone looked over at Nabeshin for a moment in slight confusion then focused back on the INSF soldiers.

**Kiyone**: "Ok Nabeshin! The Galaxy Police will handle this! Attention soldiers! Destruction of property is a violation of Galaxy Police law! Make this easy and surrender now!"

The soldiers stopped. It seemed for a moment they were going to listen to Kiyone but soon Kiyone found herself in the path of an oncoming energy blast. Before she had time to evade it was already 3 feet from her but Nabeshin quickly reached out with his right arm to catch it in his hand and send it back towards the super beings. Just like Nabeshin one of the soldiers caught the energy blast rather than deflecting it. This time he added his own energy to it and resent it towards Nabeshin. Nabeshin stood in place waiting to receive the now larger energy ball but it was Ryoko this time, in full battle attire, who intervened and just swatted away the blue energy ball with the back of her hand upwards into the night sky. Without saying a word Ryoko charged towards the small team of INSF soldiers and engaged in battle with Nabeshin soon joining in. Each soldier attempted to bring a weapon into the fight but Ryoko and Nabeshin relieved all of them of their weapons and with ease defeated them. The small group of INSF soldiers laid on the ground seemingly lifeless.

**Ryoko**: "If you ask me that was way too easy!"

**Nabeshin**: "And that's what worries me. I think this fight has only begun."

**Ryoko**: "That's not what I see. Anyways the bed is calling me back…"

Nabeshin's fears came to be realized as each soldier got back up on their feet this time with only the whites of their eyes glowing a bright green color and their mouths fused shut. Thin white rings formed around them like the rings of an atom. One soldier ran straight at Ryoko landing a knee in her abdomen followed by a supersonic punch. Ryoko flew back towards the pond, skipped across the water, crashed through the house, came out the back, and broke through several trees before finally stopping in the woods. An apprehensive Nabeshin looked back the direction Ryoko was sent but before he could check on her something grabbed his leg. A soldier tripped him as Nabeshin fell face first into the ground. The soldier then grabbed him by the back of his head and started to slam it into the hard ground creating a crater that grew with each blow. Nabeshin's motionless body remained on the ground as another soldier came and placed his foot just above Nabeshin's head. Before he could finish him off with a crushing blow the soldier was greeted by Morien's flying dropkick. Still standing, the ISNF soldier was sent back a few yards leaving skid marks in the grass. Ayeka jumped from behind Morien and shot a bolt charge into the soldier finally knocking him down for a moment. All attention was now on Morien and Ayeka.

**Ayeka**: "Who are these people?"

**Morien**: "I'm not entirely sure I would call them people anymore but what you are looking at is what Vash, Kanta, Nabeshin, and myself were trying to stop. It seems that whatever experimentation happened to them was several steps further than what happened to me. I hope so anyways."

**Ayeka**: "You hope so?"

**Morien**: "I don't want to become one of them"

**Ayeka**: "How do we stop them?"

**Morien**: "I'm not entirely sure…wait I was able to be hurt by fire! I don't see why it wouldn't work for them! Ayeka, do you have any fire attacks!?"

**Ayeka**: "I'm afraid not. I know Ryoko does but I don't know of her whereabouts."

**Morien**: "Then we're going to have to try something else. Get ready!"

Every soldier now charged an energy attack and released it upon where Morien and Ayeka stood. Quickly Ayeka created her shield and blocked the oncoming attacks. The soldier who Morien kicked earlier now ran with super speed towards Morien. Morien did not see any slow motion from the attacker as both their strength was at the same level. Crossing both his arms in front of himself he braced for impact as the soldier landed a knee on his left forearm. For the first time in a rather long time Morien felt pain. He was sent backwards as an onslaught of punches and kicks continued to impact his body. Not far off Mihoshi took aim at the soldier with her anti-matter pistol that she was only supposed to use in extreme situations and be granted permission from the Galaxy Police. Not having time she took matters into her own hands. As she was about to pull the trigger her foot caught in a sink hole and she began to trip but the shot was still fired. Morien saw the energy from Mihoshi's gun coming towards him and the assailant. He was able to detect the massive amount of damage it was capable of so he threw himself to the ground as it struck the INSF soldier in the back. Like a black hole the soldier was sucked into himself.

Ayeka continued to block oncoming energy blasts but her shield was not infinite. She could feel her power starting to ebb knowing the shield would give way soon. The remaining INSF soldiers concentrated all their energy into one large white spherical energy charge. Ayeka grew nervous knowing she wasn't going to be able to stop this attack. The charge gained all the energy it needed and was launched at the Juraian princess. She placed her shield up, larger than normal, but the attack slipped right through like a hot knife through butter. Just as it was about to make contact with Ayeka Morien jumped in the way taking the full impact of the attack. The following explosion lit up the evening sky all around the Masaki home. Ayeka recreated her shield unaware of Morien's actions. Morien's unconscious body flew upwards and then fell into the pond as he sank to the bottom.

Mihoshi and Kiyone regrouped but the anti matter ammunition could only be used once and had to be reloaded at Galaxy Police headquarters. As options began to run low Tenchi made it to the battle scene in full Juraian battle attire. He was able to hold his own against the soldiers but the battle ended in a stalemate. Off in the woods a deep gunshot sound went off. Two INSF soldiers fell to the ground and burst into flames. The other soldiers turned towards the direction of the gunshot. Another shot rang out. This time the bullet was deflected but the soldier who deflected it quickly burst into flames and withered away. The source of the gunshot, which was Desert Punk who finally returned, appeared charging full speed towards the remaining soldiers. With his shotgun armed he opened fire with a special explosive round. Each soldier was easily capable of dodging Desert Punk's oncoming attack but all stood their ground as they were impacted by each shell. Ryoko returned to where Ayeka and Tenchi were. Once Ayeka explained to her what Morien told her about flame attacks Ryoko quickly disposed of the remaining INSF soldiers.

Being the only individual who observed Morien's life saving actions, Kiyone quickly dove into the pond outside the Masaki home struggling to pull Morien's muscular figure out of the water.

**Kiyone**: "A little help you guys! This man is heavy as hell!"

Washu quickly came outside to the deck and assisted Kiyone in pulling Morien onto the wooden surface. Kanta, now with his helmet off, walked towards Kiyone, Washu, and Morien.

**Kanta**: "What the hell happened to him?"

**Kiyone**: "He jumped in front of an attack aimed towards Ayeka when her shield became too weak."

**Kanta**: "That sounds like something that dumbass would do"

**Kiyone**: "Have some respect would you!? And anyways who are you?!"

**Kanta**: "He's not dead. I sure as hell know he's going to recover" (he said looking at Washu) "And anyways I'm the reason why you have guests"

**Washu**: "We need to get Morien to the lab to heal!"

**Kanta**: "Just don't rape him!"

**Kiyone**: "This isn't the best times for jokes you big jerk!"

**Kanta**: "Relax! Besides you're all alive! What we really need to do is figure out how we're going to defeat the other few thousand INSF soldiers. You thought 20 was bad!"

**Kiyone**: "Few thousand!? How can you say that without a trace of apprehension in your voice?!"

**Kanta**: "All I see is another challenge ahead. They may be ungodly strong but they're not invincible. I'll figure out what works and what won't. That's how I've lived this long. Let's just take Finger Paintings here to Washu's lab so they can have their alone time."

Washu just looked at Kanta with one eyebrow raised.


	15. Flashback and an Imminent Threat

Chapter 15

**(Same deal as always. I don't own any characters from Tenchi Muyo, Trigun, Desert Punk, Excel Saga)**

**1979**

**Dmitri**: "I know you are highly opposed to this as I am highly opposed to you doing it as well but you should go to the United States."

**Ruth**: "And what of our newborn son?"

**Dmitri**: "Take Morien and Mordecai with you. You three will be much safer there."

**Ruth**: "I won't leave you here like this!"

**Dmitri**: "Ruth, listen to me! The Soviet Union has been under threat of nuclear war for years ever since the nuclear arms race began. This entire country is unstable. I fear for the three of you. Go with our sons to where you grew up."

**Ruth**: "How will we even leave? It's almost impossible!"

**Dmitri**: "I will have my comrades escort you to Switzerland. From there you can fly out to the United States."

**Ruth**: (In tears) "Why must you stay behind? Leave with us and escape from this! We can leave in tranquility in the U.S."

**Dmitri**: "I won't turn my back on this country. I chose to serve in the military and Spetsnaz and it is my duty to stay until the end. Now go!"

Ruth, the mother of Morien and his older brother Mordecai, reluctantly leaves St. Petersburg in the Soviet Union down to Switzerland with her two sons. The three stay for a few days then fly out to the United States landing in Chicago, Illinois where Ruth grew up. In Chicago she stayed with her mother and raised her two sons.

Years passed as the collapse of the Soviet Union came as a huge shock to everyone. Ruth immediately thought of her husband, Dmitri, wondering if he was even still alive. For days she had a nervous feeling until her mother handed her a letter that just arrived in the mail. The letters on the envelope were written in Russian. She knew it was him. It was dated a few days before the collapse. She frantically opened the letter and it read: "_Ruth. It seems as if your wish will come true. The communist hold on this nation is rapidly losing its grip. The Cold War is drawing to a close. This country has not been called Russia for more than half a century but in a few days that day may come. If that day does come I want to let you know that it is safe to return. I miss you and my sons dearly. I apologize for not writing you for years but I remember that you are the most patient person on this planet. In case you are wondering how I found out where you live just remember who I work for. Tell my sons I love them and I hope to see you very soon. _

_Love_

_Dmitri"_

A feeling of relief came over Ruth. Her husband was fine and she wanted to return to Russia but her sons were already enrolled in junior high and high school. Her mother offered to take care of Morien and Mordecai while she went back to St. Petersburg to see Dmitri. As Ruth sat in her window seat she watched the world below shrink down. With great anticipation she drifted off to sleep with hopes that once the aircraft touched down she would be reunited with her husband.

Morien and Mordecai were both stellar in their academics. So stellar that they were both in the top 10 in their academic standings compared to the rest of their peers. The football coaches always prompted Morien to join the team as Morien was always weight lifting making him muscular in stature but he always turned them down. Sports never sparked his interest. Rather he took up playing the guitar along with his brother. As they grew up Ruth always had metal music playing if her mother wasn't around as it drove her to the brink of insanity. Morien and Mordecai were intrigued and took great interest in it. When they were both in high school they performed at several talent shows playing their favorite songs; a few times coming in first place. Mordecai was the first to graduate from high school. He took the route of going to a big name University majoring in business. Morien took a much different route when he graduated. Dmitri never saw eye to eye with Morien on this decision but Morien decided to join the military.

After completing basic training he was stationed at a base in Southern California. Since he was a part of the ROTC in high school he was an officer. He was asked to oversee an exercise taking place in the Nevada desert. A new group of trainees were given the opportunity to test out a new prototype version of a rocket launcher called a Javelin. Morien stood by an abandoned water tower as the first trainee stepped out of the tent. With the missile locked on the trainee fired the rocket aimed at a rusty old car with no doors. The missile went airborne going straight up then arched back down towards the car destroying it. The second launch also went without a hitch. The third trainee came out with his Javelin. He accidentally fired the rocket before it could launch on to anything. It shot straight up then came back down and hit the water tower Morien stood next to. Morien quickly ran but the tower came down just before he could get out of the fall range. Debris struck his left arm with such force it broke both his upper and lower arm bones in many places. His arm was barely hanging on to his shoulder with only flesh keeping it attached. Blood was dripping out of all the spots the debris cut as he was rushed to the nearest hospital. Because the nearest hospital was so far away his wounds had to be cauterized with gunpowder to stop the bleeding.

Morien woke up several hours later with a superior officer in the hospital room. The officer explained that because his wounds would take a long period of time to heal he had to be medically discharged. It was not the news he wanted to hear at all. His aspirations of being in the military were now suddenly taken away. As he laid on the hospital bed he quickly began to think of an alternative plan since the military was no longer an option. He then thought perhaps he would follow his brother's footsteps and head to a University. With his near 4.0 graduating GPA as well as his transient military career he knew he could at least get scholarship and ever perhaps a full ride to several schools.

During his college career Morien decided to become an education major specifically the area of European and United States history. One night in his room he looked at his left arm still noticeably scarred. Although the muscle mass in his arms was still quite large it didn't hide the cuts that reminded him of that day in the desert. When he had enough money he decided to have his entire left arm from shoulder to wrist covered in a sleeve of tattoos. His decision to do so was also influenced by his affinity for metal music. After graduating he was offered to work in several places but he desired to work overseas preferably in Germany. His interest in Germany was arbitrary. It seemed to him like the perfect place to live. The day finally came when a letter arrived explaining a job opportunity in Hamburg, Germany with great pay and benefits. Without thinking he packed his things headed to Germany to begin his teaching career in the great city of Hamburg.

**Present**

Morien came to in Washu's lab. He looked around to find Washu with her back turned typing on one of her many computers. Sensing his consciousness she spoke:

**Washu**: "Your valor could get you killed you know."

**Morien**: "You mean what I did for Ayeka? I was only trying to prevent her demise."

**Washu**: "So it's okay for you to be killed as long as everyone lives?"

**Morien**: "Well no but it just felt like the right thing to do at the moment."

**Washu**: "She feels really bad for what you did. You know she is going to want to repay you somehow."  
**Morien**: "There's no need for that."

Washu walks over to Morien who is laying on a padded bed.

**Washu**: "In a way you are like Tenchi. You both would give your lives for others."

**Morien**: "If it needs to be done sure."

**Washu**: "Men like you don't come around often."

**Morien**: "…does this constitute as alone time since Kanta pointed out we both needed it?"

**Washu**: "How did you know he said that?"

**Morien**: "Wouldn't you like to know"

**Washu**: "Yes I would. By the way your past is very interesting. Cold War and everything. I cringed a bit when I saw your arm after the accident."

**Morien**: "I usually leave that part out when I tell my life story. Anyways if Tenchi and the rest of the girls are willing to help we should leave for Turkey soon."

**Washu**: "Not so fast. You need to rest a bit more."

**Morien**: "Washu I feel fine."

**Washu**: "I know. You're actually 100 percent back to normal."  
**Morien**: "Then why am I still here?"

**Washu**: "Because I'm not done staring at you yet."

**Morien**: "Oh…I see…."

Minutes later Morien made his way out of Washu's lab to the Masaki living room where he is greeted by a life squeezing hug from Ayeka.

**Ayeka**: "You moron! Why did you jump in front of the blast like that?! Don't do that again! But thank you so much!! I am in your debt!"

**Morien**: "You're welcome…please let me breathe again!" (With muffled voice)

**Kanta**: "Back from the lab I see. So is she good?"

**Morien**: "She seemed to be doing fine to me."

**Kanta**: "That's not what I meant."

**Morien**: "Ok dude! Call me old fashioned but I have respect for the opposite gender unlike yourself!"

**Kanta**: "And that is why you'll end up alone finger paintings."

**Morien**: "You're telling me? I don't see you with anyone."

**Kanta**: "If you remember I was ripped away from my own era in time!"

**Morien**: "Alright enough. We need to get to Turkey ASAP. Where's Nabeshin? I know he took a nasty hit to the head."

**Nabeshin**: "You can't keep me down for long." (He said coming down the stairs)

**Morien**: "Glad to see you're alive and well. What about Vash?"

**Kanta**: "No idea"

**Nabeshin**: "After everyone left for bed I snuck back into the house to sleep elsewhere."

**Kiyone**: "Yeah right next to us. Don't ever do that again jerk!"

Nabeshin just had a smug look on his face.

**Morien**: "No one knows where Vash is? Did he not sleep in the RV? Wait it exploded!"

Everyone panicked

**Vash**: "You guys can calm down" (He said walking in from front entrance with Dmitri and the rest of his Spetsnaz comrades as well as Vash's brother Knives)

**Dmitri**: "We have some new information regarding the INSF"

**Morien**: "Again you appear when I least expect it"

**Dmitri**: "That's how Spetsnaz operates"

**Morien**: "What do you know?"

**Dmitri**: "Did you find it unusual that the men who attacked you came in small numbers?"

**Morien**: "Small or not they were stalwart opponents. I might as well have been fighting several versions of myself."

**Kanta**: "I didn't see a problem. Incinerating bullets seem to work quite well against them."

**Morien**: "Incinerating bullets? Where did you get those?"

**Kanta**: "Back in Libya. Right before we turned the mine into a crater."

**Morien**: "So like that you just easily picked them off one by one?"

**Kanta**: "It wasn't just me. The horny space pirate helped too."

**Ryoko**: "HEY!"

**Dmitri**: "Those soldiers were only experimental. Whoever did not meet the experiment's standards were chosen to come here. The real fight has yet to begin."

**Tenchi**: "If they're much stronger then how do we defeat them?"

**Knives**: "I don't think the issue is that they are stronger but rather better prepared to engage in combat"

**Nabeshin**: "By the way who are you?"

**Knives**: "I'll just Vash spoil it for me, puny spider."

**Nabeshin**: "Spider?"

**Vash**: "This is Knives, my twin brother. He's not very fond of the human race incase you hadn't figured it out. It's an enigma to me how he agreed to work for Dmitri."

**Ryoko**: "Now hold on a second. Why should we help you?"

**Morien**: "Simple. ISNF takes over the planet which means you'll be living the rest of your days fighting off super soldiers and no time to spend with…I guess your 'man'"

**Ayeka**: "You did not just say that! Tenchi belongs to me!"

**Ryoko**: "Princess, don't make me greet you with a fist!"

Ryoko and Ayeka kept arguing for a few moments.

**Nabeshin**: "Morien, I thought you always tried to prevent those two from tearing at each others throats."

**Morien**: "With all this talk of the world being in peril I had to throw some entertainment in there (chuckles). It's rather amusing now."

**Tenchi**: "Morien, did you have to provoke them?"

**Morien**: "Could be worse."  
**Tenchi**: "That's what I'm afraid of."

**Mihoshi**: "Shouldn't we let the Galaxy Police know about this?"

**Kiyone**: "I concur. I think we're going to need back up if the situation escalates"

**Morien**: "Kiyone, does Earth even know there's a Galaxy Police?"

**Kiyone**: "I don't think so but what does it matter?"

**Morien**: "It's bad enough that human beings with super natural strength are in pursuit of what is perhaps world domination. In addition to that the thought of hundreds of space ships suddenly coming to earth will convince many nations that the world is under attack then before we know it a nuclear holocaust is not far off in the distance"

**Kiyone**: "Let Mihoshi and myself worry about that."

**Morien**: "Ok then. Now I'm sure it's been days since the final preparations on the INSF soldiers has been completed. You don't think they've attacked already do you?"

**Dmitri**: "I'm not sure. Is there a TV in this house?"

**Tenchi**: "Yeah let me turn on the news."

Tenchi switched the television on to a news channel only to have the fears of everyone realized. The images of buildings burning were shown in several different countries. The title read "_Middle East, Israel, Turkey, and Italy invaded. Massive devastation_."


	16. Reprisal

Chapter 16

_**(The drill is this: I do not own Tenchi Muyo, Excel Saga, Desert Punk or Trigun)**_

The morning sun was blocked out as an eerie fog blanketed the coastal and capital city of Tel Aviv, Israel. Although there was considerable damage given to many of the small buildings lined up on the blocks it only looked like a small earthquake hit. Whatever fires occurred had ebbed away and the citizens remained hidden inside their homes not knowing what they were up against. From a second-floor apartment window a young boy could be seen playing with a model plane holding it just outside the window make believing it was on final approach in foggy landing conditions. As he continued 4 figures broke through the thick fog capturing his full attention. As they walked closer he began to see could make out the images of Vash the Stampede, Desert Punk, Morien, and Nabeshin; each one with weapons drawn pointing to the ground and the sound of glass breaking could be heard as they walked over the remains of blown out windows. Overturned cars were strewn in the street and wide craters were made in the concrete. It was clear that there was an immense amount of force behind this attack.

**Vash**: "I came to Earth to get away from violence. Turmoil seems to follow me"

**Morien**: "What you see around us is the results of years of planning. Maybe even decades. Let's not place the blame on anyone including yourself"

**Kanta**: "What I would really like to know is why this is happening. Why only the Middle Eastern regions and Italy? I mean if these guys really are as tough as we're making them out to be they could have easily taken over this planet"

**Morien**: "I'm just as in-the-dark on that as you are. Nabeshin, how far until we reach the capital building?"

**Nabeshin**: "The GPS says several more miles. We'll be walking for a while. Might as well stop and take in the sights."  
**Kanta**: "Sights? I can't see shit through this fog. I just hope this road stays straight so we can get to our destination faster."

**Vash**: "Someone's approaching"

With guns now aimed towards the direction of the approaching figure they looked down their gun sight or scopes keeping it trained on whatever was coming. When a young girl came through the fog a small sigh of relief came over the men pointing their weapons back towards the glass ridden concrete.

**Vash**: "Can we help you?"

**Girl**: "I was separated from my family during the attack. I've been lost for several hours and I haven't had anything to eat."

**Morien**: "Kanta give her some of our food."

**Kanta**: "Wait why am I doing this?"

**Morien**: "You're the one holding the food and water supply"

**Kanta**: "We barely have enough to keep us trucking to where we're going!"

**Morien**: "So we'll find more along the way. Will you please just give her some food and water?"

Kanta reluctantly gives the lost girl food and water. After a few minutes they pack up and proceed towards the Israeli capital building.

**Girl**: "Please let me go with you. I'm lost and terrified"

The 4 men look at each other.

**Morien**: "Fine. Stay sharp. If anything happens on our way run like hell away. Understood?"

The girl nodded as she kept a few feet behind the rest of the gang.

A few minutes into the walk they come upon a military truck crashed into a light post but still operational.

**Kanta**: "What a thing of beauty! Now we can cut our time in half."

**Vash**: "True but I have a feeling if we take this truck we may attract attention. The really bad kind. The kind that would almost guarantee a fight…"

**Kanta**: "Ok I get it! Shut the hell up! I can have this thing started in a few seconds"

The others stood back while Kanta pulled out the same device that started the stolen yacht a few weeks ago. The diesel engine let out some smoke but eventually turned on. The sound of the start up echoed through the streets which caused curious citizens to momentarily gaze out of their windows. Kanta looked out the windshield to see a long spear like object attached to a heavy-duty chain shoot through the radiator of the truck. He jumped out with shotgun in hand as the truck was thrown upwards landing on the roof of one of building a few blocks away. Just like she was instructed the lost girl ran for cover in a nearby laundry-mat as Morien, Vash, Kanta, and Nabeshin, prepared to face this new foe guns locked and loaded. The sound of heavy footsteps came closer towards the gang causing the debris on the road to shake with each step. With fingers on the trigger they tensed up waiting for something massive to appear. To their surprise it was man with long blonde dreadlocks tied back, a red vest torn at the sleeves, and black pants with a height equal to that of Vash. His right arm was entirely mechanical with gears moving and pistons running. In his left hand he held a pocket knife. From external appearance he seemed rather ill-prepared to take on 4 heavily armed gunmen.

Further out by the sea the smell of salt filled the air with the sound of the waves crashing as Tenchi, Ryoko, Washu, and Ayeka in their battle attire casually strolled along the sandy shores of the beach with the same destination as Kanta, Morien, Nabeshin, and Vash.

**Ryoko**: "What exactly are we looking for?"

**Washu**: "We need to reach the Prime Minister to, first off, make sure he's still alive and if so get him out of this country"

**Tenchi**: "But what about everyone else? And why Israel first?"

**Washu**: "Morien just chose it arbitrarily. Besides I don't think it matters where we start. Like he said if we don't take care of this now the world will find itself on the losing side of this so called war"

**Ayeka**: "Why would they attack here first?"

**Washu**: "Not sure. It's not like the Middle Eastern region has much to offer other than being the center of the 3 most common religions in the world…wait a second…religion…"

**Tenchi**: "What is it Washu?"

**Washu**: "Nothing. Just a thought."

**Ryoko**: "Why are we walking when we can easily fly to where we need to go?"

**Washu**: "Morien asked me to help any civilians on the way. So we stay grounded."

**Ryoko**: "This isn't even our figh…"

Ryoko then remembered what Morien said about not having any time to spend with Tenchi should the world fall into war.

**Ryoko**: "Fine. Then at least let me…wait you guys hears that?"

Out at sea a low rumble could be heard but the source was obscured by the fog. Then the sound resembling several jets came ever closer to the beach. A series of hydroplane watercraft came onto the beach carrying troops and vehicles. Washu rendered everyone invisible as the troops disembarked the massive watercrafts. Several hundred of them lined up in a rectangular formation awaiting orders. Soon a taller man came down wearing a beret and holding a clipboard in his hand.

**Leader**: "Listen up. Obviously we have a situation. Our objective is to take out any and all remaining super soldiers in the city. Don't worry about civilian casualties. They know too much anyways."

Washu revealed herself.

**Washu**: "You had it right up until the part about killing innocent civilians"

Everyone turned surprised to see the spiky-haired yet adorable emerald-eyed Washu.

**Leader**: "And you are?"

**Washu**: "That's for me to know. Like you we came to fight the INSF but unlike you we also came to save any civilians affected"

**Leader**: "As far as the world knows China has invaded these parts. We intend to keep it that way"

**Washu**: "Well I tried. I guess we'll just to stop you right here"

**Leader**: "I see. You seem to be lacking any assistance."

**Washu**: (With evil grin) "Honey, watch this…Ryoko give them a show"

Ryoko appears and opens fire with her energy blasts turning all vehicles on the beach into fireballs. The troops dove into the sand with hands above their heads. The leader stood in complete shock.

**Washu**: "Let's try this again. You will not harm anyone. Leave the INSF to us. Go to the Prime Minister's office and get him out of here. And if you even lay a finger on any civilian your fate will be the same fate as your vehicles. Now move!"

Without any questions asked the troops made their way into Tel Aviv leaving Washu, Ryoko, Tenchi, and Ayeka behind.

**Ryoko**: "You should have just let me take them all out"  
**Washu**: "No Ryoko. You should never kill unless you are defending yourself or defending someone else. Now I'm not one to promote violence often but since the rescuing process has been sped up the rest of us should go find some INSF troops and show them the power of Jurai"

With all in agreement they ran in a random direction seeking out any remaining super beings in Tel Aviv.

The fog slowly began to lift revealing more of the city. Kanta, Morien, Nabeshin, and Vash never took the time to notice as the newcomer was the center of attention. No time was wasted as the conversation started.

**Newcomer**: "Only 4 of you? Such a shame. I was eagerly anticipating there to be more of you to slaughter in the most painful fashion. Oh forgive my rudeness, I am Aldar"

**Kanta**: "We don't really have time for bullshit. We're looking for INSF soldiers."

**Aldar**: "Well what do you think I am? Just because I don't look like the failed experiments you fought earlier doesn't make me inferior. Quite the contrary"

**Vash**: "Why are you here?"

**Aldar**: "The tone in your voice suggests that I've done something wrong. Hehe. As you probably know the Middle East and Italy are the centers of the 3 major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We are here to rid the world of all of it. Looking at history religion is always the cause of major wars that could have easily never have been. You can't coexist in a world with any creed that tells you to worship a Deity that no one has ever seen."

**Morien**: "You must not be a big picture individual. This plan of yours will cause the world to go to war! It's counterproductive!"

**Aldar**: "I never said there wouldn't be casualties. Sure millions, maybe even billions of people will perish but it's a small price to pay. And speaking of perish why don't we start with you, the astronaut."

Aldar's mechanical arm became the same chain and spear combination used to throw the truck and he fired it upon Desert Punk. In less than a second Desert Punk fired his shotgun at the incoming projectile deflecting the chain and spear as it broke through a pillar in a nearby building.

**Kanta**: "Astronaut? It's a desert survival suit jack-ass!"

**Aldar**: "Your ability to dodge that attack was rather impressive for a human. But I'm only getting started"

Aldar's arm became a rocket pod firing missiles towards the 4 men. Each one scattered as the multiple impacts struck the ground and buildings sending debris in all directions. Kanta bounced off a fire hydrant then crashed through an unbroken window of a grocery store then slid into a shelf causing various cans to fall on top of him. Vash had been blown to the top of the same grocery store Kanta was inside while Nabeshin dodged the incoming missiles.

**Aldar**: "Odd. I fired 8 rockets. Only 7 went off. Where did…"

Up in the air above Aldar, Morien with the 8th missile in hand came down fast upon Aldar detonating the explosive device at his feet. The resulting explosion caused the grocery store to cave in completely. When the smoke cleared Morien and Aldar stood in the crater standing only a few feet from each other.

**Aldar**: "You must be Morien."

**Morien**: (With surprised expression) "Yes?"

**Aldar**: "So you're the sole survivor of ICE #493."

**Morien**: "What are you talking about? All bodies survived I thought."

**Aldar**: "So ill-informed you are. The gas experiment was a complete failure. You are the only exception as well as myself and 4 others. At first the passengers of ICE 493 did survive. But when the gas took full effect they became highly uncontrollable. They weren't even human. Before the effects became any worse they were disposed of. I was exposed to it my hometown in Estonia. After coming to I found myself in a lab in Vladivostok, Russia along with many others. When all was said and done only 5 of us were successful experiments. We were told all about you but we never thought you would be fighting against us like this."

**Morien**: "This doesn't have to continue. The ISNF has made you believe in their ideologies concerning a religion-free world. Do you really think that world war will accomplish your ultimate goal?"

**Aldar**: "Yes"

Pulling out a hidden knife Aldar stabs Morien in the abdomen, leaves it there, then with a huge kick sends him jetting out into an overturned car two blocks away. Climbing out of the crater he turns his attention towards Nabeshin. Turning his mechanical arm into a disk he takes aim at Nabeshin. A needle like that of a vinyl record player pops out and makes contact with the disk. Lighting bolts shoot out at Nabeshin from the disk causing him to dodge intensely. Not being able to keep his speed up Nabeshin took a hit from a bolt sending him back a few yards but still standing. Now taking his turn to go on the offensive Nabeshin runs full speed at Aldar, not with a gun, not with a knife, not with an explosive, but with a wedding cake on a cart. Aldar looked at his attacker with a confused look.

**Aldar**: "This is new."

Nabeshin slowed down as he got closer. Then stopped when he reached Aldar.

**Nabeshin**: "Rather than fighting why don't you enjoy this cake?"

**Aldar**: "Riiiight….what did you put in the cake?"

**Nabeshin**: "I just found it. Didn't have time to do anything to it."

**Aldar**: "I've eliminated your friends and you give me cake? What is this, a distraction?'

**Nabeshin**: "Hey you said it. You've eliminated everyone here. What could go wrong?"

**Aldar**: "This may be so but you can keep the cake. Now make a move."

**Nabeshin**: "As you wish!"

Nabeshin clicks a detonator and the cake explodes like a bomb. Nails and shards of glass from the bomb impact Aldar and burst through his skin.

**Aldar**: "What!? How…did…!?

**Nabeshin**: "Morien is one of you. When I saw him being stabbed I knew that you could also be hurt by this. Now here's a little going away present."

Kanta returns and shoots his incinerating rounds from his shotgun severing Aldar's mechanical arm. Electricity shortages shoot out from the stub. Still in pain but not out Aldar attempts to run towards Nabeshin and Kanta to attack but is stopped by Morien as he stabs him back with the same knife he used to try to kill Morien.

**Aldar**: "How…are…you alive? I know we can't heal rapidly…(coughs blood)"

**Morien**: "Next time stab a little further than half an inch. But there won't be a next time for you"

Aldar didn't say anything else. He just kept his eyes locked with Morien's until he faded away. Vash appeared with a disappointed look knowing another life was taken.

**Kanta**: "Vash, no offense but you're becoming more and more of a liability. You need to shoot something"

Vash said nothing in reply.

**Morien**: "A cake? Seriously?"

**Nabeshin**: "I do distinctly remember someone saying unorthodox fighting was a tactic paramount to winning fights. Now we have proof."

**Morien**: "Fair enough dude. So only 4 soldiers left. I couldn't sense Aldar's energy so I have no idea how we're going to find the rest."

**Kanta**: "Dmitri is working on that as we speak. We should find the girls and Tenchi and return to the airport. The sooner we get moving the sooner we can end this fight then I can go back to where I came from."

**Morien**: "How do you plan on that?"

**Kanta**: "Washu. She'll come up with something. I'll admit this planet during this time period is a decent place to live but I belong in the desert. I have a legacy to maintain and not to mention Junko's massive bosoms await!"

**Morien**: "So you'd give up earth for a legacy and a pair of breasts? There's no reasoning with you is there?"

**Kanta**: "Nope! The demon of the desert has priorities. Let's go."


End file.
